Conference Programme
CAYAS 2026 Conference
The 2026 CAYAS conference returns for its sixth year on Saturday 3rd October in Croke Park in Dublin.
Hosted by Childhood Cancer Ireland and CanTeen Ireland, the Childhood, Adolescent, Young Adult Cancers & Survivorship Conference (CAYAS) highlights the lived experience of parents, families, patients, and survivors by providing them with a platform to collaborate and connect with medical experts, health care researchers, and others.
The F Words!
CAYAS 2026 Programme
Morning Programme
| Time | Content | Speaker / Facilitator |
|---|---|---|
| 8.00 | Survivors Breakfast | |
| 9.00 | Registration | Laura Cullinan, Childhood Cancer Ireland |
| 09.30 | Welcome address | Evelyn Griffith, CanTeen Ireland |
| 10.00 | Presentation 1 | Aileen O’Dwyer, Ulster University |
| Presentation 2 | Dr Margaret Flood, Maynooth University and Dr Lisa Carey, Johns Hopkins University | |
| Presentation 3 | Prof Michael Capra, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist, CHI at Crumlin | |
| Parallel Workshop for young people and siblings | ||
| 10.00 | What I wish people understood | TBC |
| 10.45 | Coffee Break | |
| 11.15 |
Round Table Session |
TBC |
| 12.50 | Lunch | |
Involving people, improving outcomes: building partnerships through Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE)
Presenter: Dr Claire Fitzgerald, Systems Biology Ireland and Ashleigh Kiernan, survivor
Improving Education for Children and Young People with Cancer: An International Collaboration
Presenter: Dr Margaret Flood, Assistant Professor in Inclusive Education at Maynooth University
Dr Margaret Flood (Maynooth University) introduces a new project, which aims to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of children, adolescents and young adults during and after cancer treatment.
Through its partnership with Kennedy Kreiger Institute and Johns Hopkins University in the US, this two-year project will compare international experiences to identify shared barriers and solutions.
Through focus groups, surveys and collaborative workshops, the team will design “roadmaps” – clear, practical guides to help families and schools navigate the return to education. They will also work towards establishing an educational support service for children with cancer in Ireland. This project is proudly supported by Childhood Cancer Ireland.
Life after Childhood Leukaemia
Presenter: Avril Deegan
While successful completion of treatment for childhood leukemia is a major milestone, it does not necessarily signal the end of challenges for children and their parents. Adjusting to post-treatment life requires resilience, with social support playing a key role in shaping quality of life. However, despite the importance of these factors, research on children’s and parents’ lived experience in this context remains limited. This study seeks to explore how children and their parents experience social support, resilience, and quality of life following successful leukaemia treatment.
The findings highlight the emotional, psychological, and social complexities children and parents face during the post-treatment phase, emphasising the ongoing need for structured psychosocial support even after treatment ends. While social support contributes to resilience, the study emphasises the necessity for structured and targeted interventions to address lingering challenges and improve long-term quality of life for children and parents. Such interventions are essential for helping children and parents manage emotional distress, develop effective coping strategies, and ultimately improve their long-term quality of life.
Fireside Chat: In their words: navigating the childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer experience
Chair: Mark Dywer, Hand in Hand
In this fireside chat, Mark Dwyer, Director of Services at Hand in Hand, will be joined by parent Catherine Konsoulas, childhood cancer survivor Eoin Cronly and young adult cancer survivor Ella Farrell. Together, they’ll explore the emotional, social, and practical challenges of adjusting to life during and after cancer, highlighting the supports that make a difference along the way. This session offers a unique opportunity to hear firsthand what families truly need, in their own words.
Doodle Your Way: an art workshop for young people and siblings
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Come as you are—no experience needed. In this relaxed workshop, artist Vincent Devine invites you to reconnect with your imagination through spontaneous doodling, storytelling, and visual play. Whether you’re a seasoned sketcher or picking up a pencil for the first time in years, this space is about freedom, not perfection. Through guided prompts and open exploration, participants will use doodling as a way to reflect, connect, and create something that’s uniquely theirs. Materials provided—just bring yourself.
Round Table Discussion: Building connections: a shared conversation
Led by: Caroline Rooney
Before lunch, all attendees will take part in a round-table discussion on the theme Building Connections. This session offers a chance for everyone to share their perspectives and help shape the deeper exploration of the theme in the afternoon.
Afternoon Programme
| Time | Content | Speaker / Facilitator |
|---|---|---|
| 13.35 | Welcome back | |
| 13.35 | Remembrance | |
| 13.40 | Panel Discussion | |
| 14.30 | Building your wellbeing toolkit | Workshop for young people and siblings |
| 14.30 | Researchers’ symposium | |
| 14.30 | Understanding executive functioning | Dr Lisa Carey |
| 15.15 | Coffee To Go | |
| 15.30 | Understanding late effects | Prof Michael Capra, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist, CHI at Crumlin |
| 16.20 | Closing remarks and close of conference |
Panel Discussion: What matters most: connection through diagnosis, treatment and beyond
Chair: Liam Power, parent
- Claire Cullen, Medical Social Worker, Haematology & Oncology, CHI at Crumlin
- Grainne O’Toole, Haematology Oncology Foundation Course Co-ordinator, CHI at Crumlin
- Siobhan MacSweeney, Client Services Coordinator, Recovery Haven in Kerry
- Lindsay Harrison, parent of a childhood cancer survivor
- Neil Hoey, childhood cancer survivor
The panel will explore the insights shared in the round-table session held before lunch, drawing out the main themes and findings as part of a robust discussion on the value of connections and what’s lost, gained and missing throughout the experience of childhood, adolescent or young adult cancer.
Connection Session: staying anchored as a parent
Maintaining and building relationships during and after childhood cancerwith Dr Mairead Brennan
– 1 hr 10 mins
Relationships within your circle of family, friends and community can be impacted during and after treatment. There may be surprises with who was supportive, as well as disappointments with who fell away. At the same time, you are negotiating relationships with your child’s medical team, as well as changes with your relationship with your partner and children, or navigating all of this as a single parent.
This session is for parents of children / young people who are in treatment or finished treatment, even if your child finished treatment many years ago. In this session, we will identify and normalise these experiences and share strategies to help re-build or stay connected.
Connection Session: Exercise and movement (for young people and siblings)
Sarah O’Neill, adolescent cancer survivor and personal trainer
Karl Corcoran, young adult cancer survivor, online coach and ExWell employee
Sinead O’Driscoll, Senior Physiotherapist, Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, CHI at Crumlin
This session is co-facilitated by Sarah and Karl, who both had cancer as young adults and by Sinéad O’Driscoll, a Senior Physiotherapist from CHI at Crumlin and Michael Brogan, Clinical Occupational Therapist from the National Rehabilitation Hospital.
Both Sarah and Karl are passionate about the positive impacts of exercise and movement, but they also have first-hand experience of challenges like cancer-related fatigue and other side effects from treatment.
Alongside Sarah, Karl, physiotherapist Sinead and occupational therapist Michael Brogan, you will have a chance to explore the benefits of movement and physical activity in your everyday life and the positive impacts on your body and mind.
You will also have an opportunity to chat to other young people about the challenges of building movement into your day, to share what works for you and to find the right level of movement for YOU in YOUR life at the moment.
The Resilience Toolkit: Skills for the Workplace
Jo Irwin, Director of i4 Training
Whether you support families and young people directly or study their experiences through research, this interactive workshop is for you. This session will focus on cultivating resilience and preventing compassion fatigue. Participants will learn to recognise the early signs of burnout and explore practical strategies to strengthen personal resilience.
Come away with practical tools for maintaining healthy boundaries, including how to professionally and confidently say “no”, and introduces techniques to address issues early and prevent unnecessary conflict. Attendees will also learn how to make clear, values-based decisions and reflect on the Circles of Influence framework to help shift focus from overwhelm to purposeful action.
Speaker / Facilitator Bios
Dr Margaret Flood
Assistant Professor in Inclusive Education at Maynooth University
Dr Margaret Flood is an Assistant Professor in Inclusive Education at Maynooth University and Academic Advisor for the Maynooth Access Programme. With a background in teaching, curriculum and policy development, and teacher professional learning, Margaret is passionate about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and inclusive education. As a Fulbright Scholar, she collaborated with CAST and Boston College on UDL Guidelines 3.0. A former Education Officer at the NCCA, Margaret has led national inclusive curriculum initiatives. All of this has informed her thinking around creating inclusive spaces for children returning to school with or after treatment for complex health conditions, such as cancer. Margaret also hosts the podcast Talking about all things Inclusion.
Avril Deegan
Childhood cancer researcher
My name is Avril Deegan. I am 26 years old and I live in lovely Laois. I am a childhood cancer researcher in the School of Psychology in Dublin City University and I am an Irish Research Council and Breakthrough Cancer Research funded researcher. I am also a DCU sports scholarship athlete and I have represented Ireland internationally in athletics. Last but not least, I am a childhood leukaemia survivor.
Mark Dwyer
Director of Services, Hand in Hand
Mark Dwyer is Director of Services at Hand in Hand, a children’s cancer charity providing free practical and emotional support services to families affected by childhood cancer, nationwide. Prior to joining Hand in Hand, Mark held senior roles including Regional Advocacy Manager at EPIC – Empowering People in Care, Service Manager with Jigsaw – The National Centre for Youth Mental Health, and Director of Operations at Over The Wall, a UK-based charity for children and young people with health challenges and disabilities. With over 15 years of experience working in non-profit leadership, his work has consistently focused on building responsive, family-centred services that support vulnerable children and young people.
Ella Farrell
Young adult cancer survivor
My name is Ella Farrell. I’m 22 years old living in Galway. When I was in my final semester of college, I was diagnosed with Grade 4 Medullablastoma. It completely turned my world upside down, and life suddenly became a lot more serious. I underwent brain surgery, moved to Germany for 7 weeks to get proton beam radiation, and underwent 48 weeks of chemotherapy. I rang the bell on April 10th 2025, however, it will take a long time for my life to get back to normal when dealing with the side effects of my treatment. It happened at such a transitional part of my life, it felt like I was starting all over again. I am now on the road to recovery, undergoing survivorship counselling and physical rehab with Cancer Care West, while also putting time into experiencing things I enjoy, and preparing for my teaching masters beginning in September!
Eoin Cronly
Childhood cancer survivor
Eoin is a 22-year-old college graduate, now 10 years in remission. Eoin has an avid interest in hiking, exercise, games and music.
Aoife Moggan
Childhood cancer survivor and advocate and curator of the CAYAS art exhibition
Aoife is a podcast enthusiast and boxset binger. She is happiest when people watching, exploring new places, being creative and catching up with friends and family over endless cups of tea. Aoife was diagnosed with a spinal Astrocytoma at 13 and has been on the complicated, difficult and privileged road that is illness and survivorship for the last 25 years. A journey that she believes, along with her psychology degree, has put her in good stead to become a patient advocate – a role that Aoife is very proud to hold for Childhood Cancer Ireland.
Vincent Devine
Artist
Vincent Devine is an Irish artist based in Co.Offaly, Ireland. He learned to draw at the age of 4 and paint at the age of 9. He studied at The Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest and has an Honours Degree in Visual Communications.
Devine’s work is in public and private collections internationally and he has exhibited in Hong Kong, Toronto, Miami and extensively in the UK and Ireland. His work has featured in many publications including The Irish Times, The Sunday Business Post and the Irish Independent.
His record-breaking portrait of female health campaigner Vicky Phelan garnered national coverage including a feature on RTE News and Nationwide. In 2023 his work expanded into cancer research, where he was invited to work with University College Dublin to depict the intricate layers of cancer. While working closely with cancer researchers and patient advocates Devine has developed groundbreaking paintings which through public engagement events are helping to communicate complex subjects to increase awareness and improve public engagement with the sciences.
Liam Power
Parent of a survivor
Liam has been a pilot with Aer Lingus for over 30 years. He is a proud and busy Dad to four boys, including Evan, who is 16 and was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2013.
Claire Cullen
Medical Social Worker, CHI at Crumlin
Claire Cullen is a practising social worker with over 25 years of experience working with children, young people and adults in the community in the areas of child protection, fostering, aftercare, intellectual disability and adult safeguarding. In 2023 she joined Crumlin Children’s hospital working in the paediatric haematology department where she assists, supports and empowers children, young people and their families.
Siobhan MacSweeney
Client Services Co-ordinator, Recovery Haven Kerry (Cancer Support House)
Siobhan began her nursing career in St. James’s Hospital in 1995, later specialising in Oncology Nursing and working across Oncology Day Units at Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Kerry.
In 2011, she transitioned from the acute hospital setting to focus on community cancer support services, where her passion for holistic, family-centred care could be more fully realised.
By 2014, she oversaw the introduction of child and adolescent counselling services at Recovery Haven. This service has continued to expand, and in 2024, of the centre’s 952 service users, 114 were under the age of 24.
Siobhan has a particular interest in exploring how families as a whole can be supported when facing a cancer diagnosis. In 2021 she has also been instrumental in bringing the Building Better Caregivers Self-Management programme into community cancer support, where she continues to co-facilitate its online delivery.
Karl Corcoran:
Young adult cancer survivor, online coach and ExWell staff member
Sarah O’Neill
Adolescent cancer survivor
At 17, Sarah was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. That experience shaped so much of who she is today. Exercise has always been a huge part of Sarah’s life, and it’s what carried her through treatment and recovery.
Sarah went on to earn a BSc in Health and Society from DCU and has built her career around helping others look after themselves through movement and healthy living. She is passionate about supporting people in taking control of their health—physically and mentally—especially when facing the long-term effects of cancer treatment.
Jo Irwin
Director of i4 Training
Jo Irwin (Director, i4 Training Ltd) brings over 27 years of experience in the healthcare sector. She spent 18 years in the pharmaceutical industry, where she held senior roles in sales, training, and management. In 2013, she founded i4 Training Ltd, through which she designs and delivers bespoke training programmes for a wide range of organisations.
Jo specialises in training and development for teams within the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the NHS, providing both classroom-based workshops and one-to-one coaching for staff at all levels. Her approach focuses on creating engaging, relevant, and thought-provoking learning experiences that drive meaningful behavioural and mindset change—consistently reflected in the positive feedback she receives from participants.
Working across Ireland and the UK, Jo continues to support individuals and teams in developing skills and building self-confidence, with a strong emphasis on practical application, reflection, and sustainable personal growth.
Sinéad O’Driscoll
Senior physiotherapist, CHI at Crumlin
Sinéad O’Driscoll is a senior physiotherapist working in paediatric haematology and oncology in CHI at Crumlin. She graduated with a BSc in Physiotherapy from University College Dublin in 2020.
Dr Mairead Brennan
Director of Psychosocial Services, Childhood Cancer Ireland
Dr Mairead Brennan, Principal Clinical Psychologist has 10 years of experience of working within Psycho-Oncology services across children, adolescents, young adults and adults. She completed her Clinical Doctorate training in University of Galway in 2015.
Mairead worked in Cancer Care West in Galway for eight years, during which time she developed a hospital-based service within the Galway Clinic and a community-based family service within Cancer Care West.
Since 2023, Mairead has developed and co-facilitated a one-day Psychoeducational Workshop for Parents following their child’s cancer treatment with Childhood Cancer Ireland.
CAYAS 2025 Programme Committee
We are very grateful for the time and expertise of our programme committee, who have supported the development of this year’s programme and lent their time generously. Our programme committee is comprised of a mix of clinicians, parents and survivors, helping to ensure that our content is varied, with the patient voice always at the centre.
Laura Cullinan
CEO of Childhood Cancer Ireland and parent of a survivor
Laura joined the Board of Childhood Cancer Ireland in 2014, after her daughter Isobel was diagnosed with cancer at only 21 months old. Laura played a committed role on the Board of Directors for almost seven years, before becoming the first CEO of the charity in late 2022.
Having experienced a child’s diagnosis, treatment and the long-term effects first hand, Laura is passionate about supporting families and survivors at all stages and to establishing and delivering programmes that will ensure the long-term wellbeing of families and survivors. She believes that increased public awareness of childhood cancer will ultimately lead to more funding and research, early diagnosis, improved survival rates and fewer side effects from treatment. Laura has a background in financial services.
Evelyn Griffith
Manager of CanTeen Ireland
Evelyn is qualified as a nurse (RGN) in 1997 and worked on the oncology ward in the Mater Hospital for over 18 months before travelling to Australia for a year. She started working with CanTeen in May 2001 and has been working with young people with cancer for over 20 years. Evelyn has also trained in holistic therapies – holistic massage, reflexology and Indian head massage and in 2014 received her BSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy from PCI College & Middlesex University, working as a psychotherapist on a part-time basis.
Patricia McColgan
Voluntary Director of Childhood Cancer Ireland and parent of a survivor
Patricia’s son Rory was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008. After the completion of his treatment, it became clear that there were no follow-up supports in place to help survivors enjoy the best possible quality of life and to address the late effects of treatment. Patricia co-founded CanCare4Living with fellow parent Garry Owens, to advocate for survivors of childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer. She is passionate about the power of collaboration and keeping the voice of those with lived experience central to any discussion about them.
CanCare4Living merged with Childhood Cancer Foundation Ireland in August 2022 and Patricia continues that work now under the charity’s new name of Childhood Cancer Ireland.
Professor Michael Capra
Consultant Paediatric Oncologist, CHI at Crumlin
Michael Capra graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa in 1987, following which he completed his postgraduate paediatric and specialist paediatric oncology training in the United Kingdom.
He obtained his Masters in Medical Education in 2000 prior to commencing his Paediatric Haematology/Oncology Fellowship in The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto in 2001. He was appointed on staff at the same institution in 2003, a post he held until 2006, when he relocated to Dublin to take up a Paediatric Oncology Consultant post in CHI at Crumlin.
Michael is a Clinical Professor of Trinity College Dublin, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) and a member of multiple collaborative childhood cancer organisations, including the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) and the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).
Register Now
The CAYAS conference is aimed at anyone who has been impacted by childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer and anyone who is working in the area or has a research interest in this topic.
Content and workshops on the day are aimed at:
- Parents
- Young people (age 14+ approx) currently in treatment or who are survivors of childhood cancer
- Siblings (age 14+ approx)
- Anyone involved in caring for families impacted by childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer or those researching the field
- Charities and other organisations supporting families
Registration is free and all who have been impacted by or are involved with childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer are welcome to attend. The conference and is aimed at ages 14+ approximately. If you have any questions please contact us at info@cayasireland.ie
Kindly supported by
We are grateful for the support of CHI at Crumlin and the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), both of whom have recognised the value of this conference from the beginning and lend their expertise and support to ensure that the patient voice is heard and valued.