Filming Session Completed in Croatia: Diverse Survivor Voices Enrich MyCare

The third and final filming session within the e-QuoL project activity focused on capturing testimonies and expert insights across Europe, following earlier sessions in France and Finland, has successfully concluded in Rijeka, Croatia.
This marks the completion of an important production phase for the final series of educational and testimonial videos that will be integrated into MyCare, the mobile health application developed by the e-QuoL to improve the quality of life of children, adolescents, and young adult cancer survivors (CAYACS).

Bringing Diverse Survivor Experiences to MyCare

The Croatian filming session further strengthens one of the core goals of the e-QuoL project: ensuring that the experiences and perspectives represented within MyCare reflect the diversity of cancer survivorship across Europe.
Through personal testimonies and expert interviews, the new audiovisual resources will provide practical information, emotional support, and real-life insights for CAYACS and their families.
Filmed in inspiring surroundings at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Rijeka, the Croatian session featured both survivor stories and expert perspectives addressing key aspects of survivorship.

Expert Insights on Survivorship Care

Dr. Jelena Roganovic, pediatric oncologist at Children’s Hospital Zagreb, discussed sleep health as an important component of overall wellbeing among CAYACS, and highlighted sleep disturbances as an often underreported survivorship issue. She also shared reflections on cultural variations in survivorship care across Europe identified through the e-QuoL project. Her insights reinforced a core principle of the e-QuoL: developing meaningful and equitable survivorship resources requires continuous dialogue with survivors, families, and healthcare professionals across diverse cultural contexts.

Survivor Voices at the Heart of the Project

The Croatian filming session also featured powerful personal testimonies from cancer survivors.
Nusa Matijasic Stjepovic, a pediatrician and young adult cancer survivor, shared her experiences of talking about cancer with partners, children, family members, friends, and colleagues. Her testimony explored how open and honest communication can help shape survivorship and strengthen relationships long after treatment has ended.
Erin Rupcic, a student and childhood cancer survivor, spoke about body image after cancer, self-acceptance, and the challenges of building new relationships while navigating the long-term impact of the cancer experience.
Together, these stories contribute to a growing collection of authentic, patient-centred resources that will help future MyCare users better understand and manage the physical, emotional, and social aspects of life after cancer.

A Truly European Collaboration

With filming completed in France, Finland, and Croatia, the project has captured a rich variety of survivors’ experiences, healthcare perspectives, and cultural contexts from across Europe. This diversity will help ensure that the MyCare platform remains relevant, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of CAYACS regardless of their background or healthcare setting.

Acknowledgements

The e-QuoL consortium would like to sincerely thank Kryzalid and Laurent Perry for their professionalism and support throughout the filming process.
Special thanks to the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Rijeka for providing filming locations. We are especially grateful to actress Andreja Brozović Adzic-Kapetanovic, whose warm and engaging interview style contributed greatly to the success of the filming sessions.