Supporting Good Life Despite Cancer 2025

Strengthening the Knowledge Base

The Finnish Cancer Registry prepared a new cooperation agreement with THL to expand and update The Cancer Registry’s data base. The Cancer Registry continued to strengthen its knowledge base by analysing the text of reports submitted to the registry (pathology, clinical, and treatment notifications). Algorithm-based data mining work for the TNM classification continued.

Luoto Service

Luoto discussion support. In the Luoto service provided by the CSF, social and healthcare professionals provide psychosocial support to people with cancer, their loved ones, and anyone concerned about cancer. You can seek help from the Luoto service before being diagnosed, at various stages of the treatment journey, after treatment has ended, or following the death of a loved one from cancer.

In 2025, Luoto professionals at the CSF communicated with 2,619 clients by phone, email, chat, or face-to-face via Teams. Outreach was also conducted at the HUS Helsinki University Hospital Cancer Centre. Luoto professionals provided support in Finnish and English. They referred Swedish-speaking clients to the Cancer Society of Pohjanmaa.

Benefits Counselling

People with cancer and their loved ones receive guidance on social security, services, and income-related matters through benefits counselling. The service can be accessed by phone or email. It is provided by four licensed health social workers from the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District and the Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa.

In 2025, there were 103 contacts. Most concerned questions concerned the benefits and services that patients and their families are entitled to and where they are able to obtain financial support.

Cancer Pain Helpline

This service is intended for people with cancer, their loved ones, and healthcare professionals. The Cancer Pain Helpline provides information and support related to pain management. It is delivered in collaboration with specialist nurses and physicians from the HUS Pain Clinic.

In 2025, there were 26 contacts. The main reason for calls concerned inadequate pain medication.

Genetic Counselling

Genetic counselling provides information and support to people who have concerns about hereditary cancer risk and prevention. The need for counselling is increasing as genetic  testing and personalised medicine advance and awareness of hereditary factors increases.

In 2025, hereditary risk assessments were conducted for 142 individuals. A clinical geneticist assessed the cancer risk associated with heredity for 90 people, of whom 57 were referred to specialised medical care for a more detailed evaluation of their hereditary risk.

Three courses were organised in 2025:

• An individual course for healthy BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers
• A couples’ course for men carrying a BRCA mutation
• An individual course for carriers of Lynch syndrome

Additionally, development of a standardised curriculum for genetic counselling continued, and offering the service via Teams for face-to-face remote sessions. Internal training sessions were also organised for CSF staff.

Network Cooperation

The CSF is involved in several networks, including:

• The Advisory Board for Ethical Principles in Helpline and Online Support (PuhEet)
• Fimea’s working group on medication treatment networks
• The iCAN Patient and Citizen Advisory Board (POTKU)
• The Young Adult Cancer Patients Network

Close cooperation was also carried out with FICAN.

International Cooperation

The ICISG (International Cancer Information Service Group) committee met six times in 2025. Following reorganisation, it was decided to hold a Global Member Town Hall the following year. The Nordic Counselling group met in Reykjavik in May.

Family Services

Family Work Network The aim of the family work network is to strengthen expertise in family support within the CSF. The network organises two thematic days annually, maintains the Let’s Talk About Children approach, develops the Building Blocks of Relationships peer group model, and advances Good Everyday Life for a Child activities.

Support for Rehabilitation

Two out of three people diagnosed with cancer recover. An increasing number of people live with cancer as a chronic condition for years or even decades. As treatment outcomes improve, the need for rehabilitation support is growing – from the time of diagnosis, during treatment and after treatment has ended.

Aims The rehabilitation support provided by the CSF promotes and maintains functional and work capacity, and well-being among people with cancer—fundamental prerequisites for a good life. The CSF provides timely support to better meet clients’ needs at different stages of the disease. The support we provide complements public rehabilitation services.

Courses The CSF organises themes and goal-oriented group courses led by professionals for people with cancer, their loved ones, and for carriers of gene mutations. The courses are funded by grants from STEA and self-funding, and are conducted both in person and via video conference. .

Courses are either residential (3–5 days) or outpatient rehabilitation programmes lasting several weeks. They provide information, strengthen participants’ skills, resources and coping strategies, support everyday coping, and enable professionally guided peer support.

In 2025: 56 courses were held, 1,387 people applied and 756 participated. Courses included individual, couple, and family formats and were thematic or activity-based. They were organised as intensive residential periods, outpatient courses, online courses, or hybrid formats.

Participants: 76% women/girls, 23% men/boys and 68% were people with cancer and 22% were relatives 60% gave feedback, rating usefulness at 4.5 (on a scale of 1–5). 90% would recommend the course to others in a similar situation.

Development

Rehabilitation support and course content were developed within the CSF and in cooperation with other organisations, regional cancer centres, and public healthcare providers.

A cross-diagnosis “Resources & Well-being” course was developed with partner organisations. In collaboration with the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities and the Finnish Movement Disorders Association, Let’s Speak Together discussion cards were created for people living with cancer. These support interaction, getting to know one another, and discussions on lifestyle in groups and courses led by a professional.

Network Cooperation

The CSF is actively involved in:

• The Rehabilitation Network (KUVE) coordinated by the Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health (SOSTE)
• The Course Development Network (KUTO)
• The outpatient rehabilitation network coordinated by the Finnish Osteoporosis Association

Psychosocial Support Steering Group This expert group, made up of representatives from CSF member associations, guides, develops, and coordinates CSF psychosocial support services.

Training for Experts A two-day training event was organised for CSF experts in health promotion and psychosocial support. Themes included relationships, sexuality, and the foundations of well-being.

Volunteer and Peer Support Activities

Development of Volunteer Work Data protection guidelines for volunteer activities were updated, along with volunteer agreement templates. The volunteer activity statistics form was also updated to reflect current activities.

Management Training A three-part webinar series was organised for professionals managing the volunteer programme, focusing on supervision methods. Additional training included a lecture supporting volunteer programme management, a national seminar, and numerous virtual ‘morning coffee’ sessions.

Volunteer Survey A total of 4,650 people participated in volunteer roles within the CSF. The national volunteer survey received 611 responses. Based on the survey feedback, facilitation workshops were held, and activities were further developed.

Experts by experience The CSF provided basic training for experts by experience as in-person training sessions. Both basic and advanced training were delivered online together with the national Expert by Experience Network. All experts by experience within the CSF are trained to share experiential knowledge. Their role is to increase understanding of cancer among professionals and students in various fields.

Supplementary training for volunteers Two webinars were offered to volunteers. One focused on the new National Nutrition Recommendations, and the other was a lecture sharing experiences on how cancer changes lives and what wishes people may have at the end of life. A total of 400 people participated in the supplementary training sessions.

Support person activities Support person activity is a central form of volunteer work within the CSF. Its development is overseen by a dedicated development group.

Statistics
In 2025, there were: 1,045 peer supporters, peer group facilitators, and hospice support volunteers, 665 peer supporters 392 hospice support volunteers and 193 peer facilitators.

A total of 6,737 individuals received support, with approximately 14,152 interactions. There were 134 groups led by support persons, and 9,754 visits to these groups.

Training
National online training included 2 peer supporter training sessions, 1 peer facilitator training session and 1 hospice support volunteer training.

New volunteers trained: 121 peer supporters, 77 hospice support volunteers and 58 peer facilitators.

Additionally, a Good Everyday Life for Children training was organised for support persons, attended by 10 participants.

Activity guidance/work guidance Support persons received activity guidance and/or work guidance within member associations to support their own well-being and their work alongside people with cancer and their loved ones.

Development and network collaboration In 2025, the CSF developed an operational model for palliative care support volunteer activities in cooperation with the Cancer Society of North Savo and professionals from treatment units.

A training day for palliative care support persons was held in Mikkeli with around 100 participants, organised together with the Terho Home Palliative Care Foundation, the South Savo Well-being Services County (ELOISA), the Mikkeli Cathedral Parish, and the Cancer Society of Saimaa. The CSF also participated in the annual National Grief Conference.

OLKA cooperation In 2025, ten CSF member associations participated in the peer support app provided by OLKA, which arranges coordinated organisational and volunteer activities in hospitals.

Financial assistance for low-income cancer patients and low-income families with a child suffering from cancer

The Cancer Foundation grants financial assistance to cancer patients facing economic hardship due to illness. Applications must include a statement from a social worker or counsellor. Support is distributed through the Cancer Society’s social committee. Grants ranging from €400 to €1,000.

Due to changes in the well-being services counties, access to social work support has become more difficult, which is reflected in both application volumes and increased inquiries about financial aid. An electronic application form introduced in 2023 has sped up processing of applications and the receipt of grants.

Financial assistance was also provided to families facing difficulties due to their child having cancer. In 2025, the Svea Ahlqvist Fund granted €35,400 to 28 families.

In total, €602,400 in financial aid was distributed to low-income cancer patients and to families facing financial difficulties due to their child having cancer.