First Annual UCC Cancer Trials Group (UCC CTG) Retreat!

25 Nov 2022

The first annual UCC Cancer Trials Group (UCC CTG) Retreat took place on 25th November. The HRB-supported UCC CTG was established in January 2022 to bring together oncology clinical trials units at Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Waterford and the Bon Secours Cork Cancer Centre, in partnership with the HRB Clinical Research Facility UCC and University College Cork, to provide equitable access to cutting-edge cancer care in the South/Southwest of Ireland, in parallel with innovative cancer research and training opportunities.

The Retreat enabled staff of Cancer Trials Cork and Cancer Trials Waterford to come together in person for brainstorming and discussion, with patients and public attending the afternoon session.

During the event, we launched UCC CTG's PPI activities and gave anyone interested in clinical trials the opportunity to meet the clinical trials teams and learn more about trials and the work of UCC CTG.

Speakers on the day represented UCC CTG, PPI Ignite Network @UCC and the Art Therapy Department at MTU Crawford College of Art & Design. Together the trials teams and members of the public learned about PPI and how to get involved, arts and health, and art therapy interventions. 

The Retreat was a great success! 

The event was divided into 2 sessions. The morning session was for UCC CTG members which are made up of Clinical Trial Staff from the CUH, Bons Secours and University Hospital Waterford as well as the UCC CTG admin and management team. The afternoon session was a Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) event which was open to all members of the public. 

The morning session  was held in Western Gateway Building in UCC. This session included a summary by Dr. Laia Raigal (UCC CTG Project Manager) of the successes of the UCC CTG so far this year, and talks from Prof. Conleth Murphy (Consultant Medical Oncologist, Bons Secours Hospital Cork) and Dr. Dearbhaile Collins (Consultant Medical Oncologist, CUH & Senior Lecturer UCC).

This was followed by an Art team building event. The team building event was facilitated by Shelly O’Connor and Julie Horgan, postgraduate students from the Crawford College of Art and Design. This was followed by breakout sessions where the group was divided into teams. The breakout sessions enabled the wider team to get to know each other and allowed time for brainstorming, problem solving and feedback.

The afternoon session was open to the public, including patients and their families. It was held in Sundays Well Boating and Tennis Club and there was a full house! The session included talks about Clinical Trials, PPI, Art Therapy and a team building art workshop.

Clinical trials staff, patients and the public learned from each other through an afternoon of creative engagement.

A very enjoyable time was had by all and we are already looking forward to our 2023 retreat!

HRB Knowledge Translation Award

Prof Connolly is one of the awardees of the HRB Knowledge Translation Awards, receiving €59,972 for a project entitled Art4Knowledge - Art Therapy for Knowledge Exchange between UCC CTG patients with cancer, their families, and clinical trials teams.

This project was launched at the Retreat, with Julie and Shelly (MA students from Crawford College Art Therapy course) introducing art therapy workshops to both the clinical trials teams and the patients/public who attended the afternoon session.

We are currently recruiting patients who have or have had cancer, as well as family members of patients/former patients, to participate in an 8-week series of art therapy workshops beginning 27^th January.

Anyone interested in participating in these workshops should contact Louise Tangney at ltangney@ucc.ie.