On September 27, SHINE 2Europe joined the European Researchers’ Night in Coimbra, bringing some of our health and cancer projects closer to citizens through an interactive activity focused on cancer prevention and liver health. The projects presented included MAYA, LIVERATION, RadioVal, TRACE, CURTAIN, CAREWAY, Medi-CaSE, and INE-CSC.
From curious children to older adults, visitors to the SHINE stand had the opportunity to learn more about the importance of taking care of health, receive practical health tips, and discover how European research is contributing to better approaches to cancer treatment and prevention.
Turning prevention into a conversation
One of the highlights of the stand was a “prevention wheel”, inspired by the traditional “wheel of fortune”. Each spin opened the door to a conversation about a different cancer prevention topic, including access to healthcare, tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical activity, genetics and heredity, urban planning, diet, pollution, and housing.
For each theme, the SHINE team shared practical recommendations on how people can reduce risks and contribute to cancer prevention, while encouraging visitors to reflect on the wider social and environmental factors that influence health.
The activity was part of the broader theme “Preventing cancer: a collective challenge”, highlighting that around 40% of the global cancer burden is still associated with unhealthy lifestyles, metabolic risks, and environmental conditions. Prevention therefore requires more than individual choices: it also depends on health literacy, equitable access to screening and healthcare, supportive environments, and meaningful citizen engagement.
Prevention and health inequalities
In Portugal, national screening programmes are currently available for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. However, participation remains uneven, with geographical and socioeconomic inequalities continuing to influence access and uptake.
Recent measures have also proposed expanding screening programmes to other cancers, including lung, prostate, and stomach cancer. Ensuring equitable access, timely diagnosis, and appropriate follow-up remains an important challenge for public health.
The European Researchers’ Night in Coimbra provided an opportunity to make scientific research more accessible, interactive, and inclusive. With 90 initiatives and more than 600 researchers, the event brought science closer to the public and highlighted the importance of connecting research with everyday life. For SHINE, the event was another opportunity to reinforce a simple but essential message: science should be for everyone and understandable to everyone. Prevention, innovation, and inclusion go hand in hand when building healthier communities.