IPOS News

We are pleased to inform our network of a two-day workshop organized by the Georgian Psycho-Oncology Society, held on April 25–26, 2025. The workshop was titled "Psychological Support for Pediatric Cancer Patients and Their Families."

The training focused on the psychological and emotional challenges faced by children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment, as well as the impact on their families. It aimed to provide a foundational framework and practical skills for psychosocial professionals to offer comprehensive and holistic support.

Key topics included:

• Psychological impact of childhood cancer
• Standards of pediatric psychosocial oncology care
• Gestalt approach to working with children
• Communication strategies for young patients and their families
• Approaches to supporting patients and families
• Bereavement support

They were honored to host distinguished international trainers:

• Frans Meulmeester (Netherlands): Gestalt Trainer, Therapist, Coach, Supervisor, and Consultant. Frans is a registered member of the European Association for Gestalt Therapy and Theory (EAGT) as a therapist, GPO, and supervisor. He is also a European Certified Psychotherapist with the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP).

• Alisa Kamalyan (Armenia): Clinical Psychologist, Head of Psychosocial Services at Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center, Armenia. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Psychosocial Wellbeing Working Group of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP).

Sincerely,

Georgian Psycho-Oncology Society

The British Psycho-Oncology Society (BPOS) recently held its annual conference in Manchester, which served as a slightly delayed 40th Anniversary Celebration. One of our best-attended recent BPOS conferences, we attracted 78 delegates including researchers, practitioners from a range of disciplines including psychology, nursing, counselling, and radiography.

We heard inspiring keynote presentations from Steve Bland, a former journalist and current podcast producer who eloquently gave a personal account of the impact of cancer on his own family, and Dr Ricky Frazer (Velindre University NHS Trust) who presented about exciting innovations and advancements in immunotherapy.  Oral presentations and flash talks from our delegates ranged from sessions on cancer caregiving, adolescent and young adult cancer, PROMs and PREMs, psychological interventions, through to inequalities and understudied cancers. Forty-six posters were showcased along with opportunities for networking and mentoring support for students and early career researchers.

Congratulations to our prize winners:

• James Rathbone – Best Oral Presentation
• Deborah Critoph – Best Flash Talk
• Grant Punnett – Best Poster
• Lana Cook – Delegate’s Choice Best Poster

The conference also included our Annual General Meeting at which the Committee talked our plans to launch our new Special Interest Groups which will focus initially on ‘Personalised Care’ and ‘Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer’. We are grateful to North West Cancer Research, the Ruth Strauss Foundation, and Wiley for sponsoring the event. Our next conference will be held in Bristol in March 2026.   

Sandra Bijelac has actively participated as a lecturer in numerous congresses and professional gatherings. She has also contributed to the realization of several Continuous Medical Education programs as a certified lecturer.

Published Papers and Congress Presentations

1. S. Bijelac: Crisis as a Psychological Response to Malignant Disease, Archives of Oncology, 44th Cancer Week, 2007.

2. S. Bijelac, N. Miletic: Mastectomy – Postoperative Psychogenic Trauma, 1st Croatian Congress of Psycho-oncology and Liaison Psychiatry with International Participation, Pula, 2009.

3. S. Bijelac: Interactive Approach as Part of Psychosomatic Treatment in Postsurgical Psychological Rehabilitation, Journal of B.U.ON., 7th Congress of B.U.ON., Izmir, Turkey, 2008.

4. A. Djurdjevic, S. Delic, S. Berat, S. Bijelac, D. Pavlovic, D. Cupic: Education of Cancer Patients as Psychosocial Support, Archives of Oncology, Forum for Patients – Psychological Support, 46th Cancer Week, 2009.

5. S. Bijelac, V. Kodzopeljic: Rehabilitation of Patients with Malignant Diseases, Proceedings of the Conference “Days of Special Educators”, Zlatibor, 2009.

6. S. Bijelac, J. Milošević: Psychosocial Aspects of Gynecological Malignancies, Archives of Oncology, 47th Cancer Week, 2010.

7. S. Bijelac: Psychosocial Support During Surgical Treatment of Oncology Patients, Continuous Medical Education, Lepenski Vir, 2011.

8. S. Bijelac: Psycho-oncology and Mentality, Proceedings of the 1st Congress of Psychotherapists of Serbia, Belgrade, 2011.

9. S. Bijelac: Education and Counseling as Part of Surgical Oncology Treatment, Rak – Journal of the Cancer Society, ISSN 1451-463X, December 2011.

10. D. Pjanić, V. Plešinac Karapandžić, K. Dabić Stanković, N. Čalovska Hercog, S. Bošnjak, M. Andrijić, S. Bijelac-Janković, Vesna Milosavljević: Integrative Art Psychotherapy in Women with Cervical Cancer – Scientific Research Paper, Proceedings of the 2nd Congress of Psychotherapists of Serbia, Belgrade, 2012.

11. S. Bijelac: Psychotherapeutic Approach and Application of TA in Oncology, Proceedings of the 2nd Congress of Psychotherapists of Serbia, Belgrade, 2012.

12. S. Bijelac: Psychosocial Support During Surgical Treatment – Continuous Medical Education of Healthcare Workers and Associates, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia (IORS), Belgrade, 2013.

13. J. Kovačević, O. Aleksić-Hil, D. Maćešić-Petrović, S. Bjelac: ADHD and Treatment in Childhood, Proceedings of the 3rd Congress of the Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Zlatibor, 2013.

14. D. Maćešić, J. Kovačević, S. Bjelac, O. Aleksić-Hil: Behavioral Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities in Inclusive Educational Settings, Proceedings of the 3rd Congress of the Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Zlatibor, 2013.

15. S. Bijelac: Psychosocial Rehabilitation Before Surgical Intervention – Assessment and Interventions, Cancer Section of the Serbian Medical Society (SLD), Belgrade, 2013.

16. S. Bijelac: Psychotherapy in Psycho-oncology – Focus on Anxiety Disorders, 3rd Congress of Psychotherapists of Serbia, Belgrade, 2013.

17. D. Pjanić, V. Plešinac Karapandžić, K. Dabić Stanković, N. Čalovska Hercog, S. Bošnjak, S. Bjelac Janković: Integrative Art Psychotherapy in Women with Cervical Cancer – Scientific Research Paper, Proceedings of the 3rd Congress of Psychotherapists of Serbia, Belgrade, 2013.

18. K. Vojvodić, S. Bjelac: Communication Between Healthcare Professionals and Patients – A Transactional Analysis Perspective, Proceedings of the 3rd Congress of Psychotherapists of Serbia, Belgrade, 2013.

19. S. Bijelac: Communication with Oncology Patients, Project “Palliative Care in Serbia”, City Institute for Public Health Belgrade and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia, 2015–2016.

20. S. Bijelac: The Importance of Counseling Support for Breast Cancer Patients, Proceedings of the Cancer Section of the Serbian Medical Society (SLD), Belgrade, 2017.

21. M. Krljar, S. Bijelac, M. Gošović: The Impact of Occupational Stress on Burnout Syndrome in Oncology Surgery Nurses.

22. Project of the Department for Home Care and Palliative Care, Health Center “Voždovac” – Team Member.

23. Panel Discussion: “Capacity for Closeness and Oncology Patients”, February 2019 – Lecturer.

24. S. Bijelac: Burnout Syndrome, Association of Healthcare Workers of Serbia, XX Professional Conference of Laboratory Technologists and Technicians of Serbia, Leskovac, March 29–31, 2019.

25. S. Bijelac: Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Cancer Patients, XX Professional Conference of Laboratory Technologists and Technicians of Serbia, Leskovac, March 29–31, 2019.

26. Panel Discussion: “Without Fear”, Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, May 22, 2019 – Lecturer.

27. S. Bijelac: The Importance of Counseling Support for Women with Breast Cancer, National Congress of Healthcare Workers of Serbia with International Participation, Zlatibor, May 22–26, 2019.

28. Department for Home Care and Palliative Care, Health Center Voždovac: “Over a Cup of Tea About Death” – Interactive Workshops, November 2018 – May 2019 – Team Member and Lecturer.

29. S. Bijelac: Psychosocial Support for Lung Cancer Patients, Continuous Medical Education – Lung Cancer Course, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade, May 27, 2019.

30. S. Bijelac: Lecture on Anxiety and Depression, Faculty of Theology, University of Belgrade, November 2019 – Lecturer.

31. S. Bijelac: The Importance of Counseling Support for Women with Breast Cancer, National Congress of Healthcare Workers of Serbia with International Participation, Zlatibor, 2019.

32. S. Bijelac: Burnout Syndrome, XX Professional Conference of Laboratory Technologists and Technicians, Leskovac, 2019.

33. S. Bijelac: Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Cancer Patients, XX Professional Conference of Laboratory Technologists and Technicians, Leskovac, 2019.

34. S. Bijelac: Communication with Oncology Patients, Palliative Care Project, Institute for Public Health Belgrade, 2016.

35. Home Care for Patients – A Guide for Family Caregivers, Project “Support for Education in Palliative Care”, Institute for Public Health and the Secretariat for Health of the City of Belgrade, 2022.

36. NURDOR Project: “Rehabilitation Camp of Love and Hope 2023”, funded by the Ministry of Justice.

Interested in being profiled?

Please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line “IPOS member profile submission”:

1. Name
2. Employment position
3. Employer/Institution
4. Country
5. Twitter handle (if available)
6. Jpg photo of yourself
7. 50-to-200-word description that notes details on your practice, involvement with IPOS and something “fun or interesting” about yourself.

I am a passionate psycho-oncologist with experience in providing emotional support to cancer patients. My goal is to offer psychological assistance to those facing this challenging phase, helping them find internal resources and strategies to cope with difficulties. I become deeply involved in each case, establishing personal connections that allow me to provide more humanized and empathetic care. Every story is unique and valuable, and I strive to make each patient feel understood and supported throughout their journey. I am committed to the emotional well-being of my patients and consider my work a shared journey, where every step counts.

Interested in being profiled?

Please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line “IPOS member profile submission”:

1. Name
2. Employment position
3. Employer/Institution
4. Country
5. Twitter handle (if available)
6. Jpg photo of yourself
7. 50-to-200-word description that notes details on your practice, involvement with IPOS and something “fun or interesting” about yourself.

Psychologist at a pediatric hospital since 2012, with experience in play therapy, palliative care, and care for oncological and non-oncological patients with various health conditions. Member of IPOS since 2023. A lover of photography, sunsets, and stars.

Interested in being profiled?

Please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line “IPOS member profile submission”:

1. Name
2. Employment position
3. Employer/Institution
4. Country
5. Twitter handle (if available)
6. Jpg photo of yourself
7. 50-to-200-word description that notes details on your practice, involvement with IPOS and something “fun or interesting” about yourself.

• IPOS is now accepting nominations from active members to be on the Board of Directors. Individuals with a current “Active” membership from across the globe are encouraged to submit nominations for the volunteer Board positions noted below. Individuals with an “Early Career” membership are encouraged to submit for the Early Career Director position.

  The following positions are open for nomination:

  1. One Vice President position
  2. One Secretary position
  3. One Treasurer position
  4. Seven individual Director positions:

• REGION 1: One or more Directors the targeted regions of Africa, Middle East, India or Russia.
• REGION 2: One or more Directors from Asia/Pacific.
• REGION 3: One or more Directors from Canada and the USA.
• REGION 4: One or more Directors from Europe/UK.
• REGION 5: One or more Directors from Latin and Central America.
• One Early Career Director.

Important items to note about the positions open for nomination:

• To seek nomination for the office of Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer, the member must have served, at some point in time, a minimum of one term on IPOS the Board of Directors.
• For individuals concerning submitting for Vice President, please note the succession pattern shall be such that an individual so elected shall serve one term as Vice-President, one term as President and one term as Past President, for a total of six successive years.
• A Director can serve in the role of Secretary or Treasurer for a maximum of two terms after which they must be elected to the role of Vice President to remain on the Board.
• The Early Career Position, individuals can only hold this position for one term of two years. Above submitting a nomination for this position, the individual must have an “Early Career” type of membership with IPOS.

Important Nomination and Election Timelines:

• Release of call for nominations: April 2, 2025
• Nomination Deadline – June 2, 2025. Please submit online by going to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IPOSBOARDNOM20252027. Please have the following ready PRIOR to submitting your nomination as you will have to provide:

o   Please provide the first and last name of the IPOS Active member NOMINATING you for the position noted above:
(please be sure the person has renewed/joined for 2025 and has provided you permission to list them as nominating you)

o   Please provide the email address of the IPOS Active member NOMINATING you for the position noted above:
(we will email the person to confirm they support your nomination)

o   Please provide, in point form highlights, details about your experience with IPOS here:
(please note this will be used in the election package once released)

o   Please past your current biography (brief 100 to 200 words maximum) here:
(please note this will be used in the election package once released)

o   Please provide your candidate statement - an outline of why you want to serve on the IPOS board and your election platform. 100 to 300 words maximum.
(please note this will be used in the election package once released)

o   The election package will include a photo of all nominees. Please confirm you will email your photo, in jpg format, to [email protected] within 48 hours of submitting your nomination.

• Ballots to be issued to all voting members – June 19, 2025
• Voting Closes – July 7, 2025

SUBMIT ONLINE BY JUNE 2 BY GOING TO https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IPOSBOARDNOM20252027

Are you interested in knowing what our volunteers have been up to? EVERYONE can now access 2024 reports from:

1.Early Career Professionals in Psycho-Oncology (ECPP) Committee
2.Education Committee
3.Federation Committee
4.Fundraising and Marketing Committee
5.Membership Committee
6.Research Committee
7.E-Health and AI (Artificial Intelligence)
8.Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group (FORwards)
9.Implementation Science and Practice (ISP)
10.Low and Medium Income Countries (LMIC)
11.Pediatric
12.Survivorship

All reports can be accessed by going to https://ipos-society.org/about/sigs

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING? All IPOS members can volunteer. There are “VOLUNTEER” icons beside several groups where members can submit interest in volunteering. Go to https://ipos-society.org/about/sigs

Currently my professional work is aimed at palliative psycho-oncology, where I have the opportunity to care for patients with breast, lung, sarcomas, primary, unknown and gastric cancer. I am dedicated to research on topics of psychology in palliative care. I am an undergraduate and graduate teacher and I promote psycho-oncology and palliative psychology as much as possible. I am a committed person, passionate about psycho-oncology who seeks to strengthen the profession. I like to paint in oils, dance and take care of my 7 dogs.

Interested in being profiled?

Please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line “IPOS member profile submission”:

1. Name
2. Employment position
3. Employer/Institution
4. Country
5. Twitter handle (if available)
6. Jpg photo of yourself
7. 50-to-200-word description that notes details on your practice, involvement with IPOS and something “fun or interesting” about yourself.

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INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING WITH IPOS? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.

As a graduate psychologist and psychotherapist, I have been working with clients for over 15 years. Through collaboration with associations of oncology patients, together with my colleagues, I lead psychological support groups, psycho-oncology workshops, and education sessions. Recently, I became a member of the Health Promotion and Prevention Committee of IPOS, with the aim of exchanging knowledge and transferring good practice examples to local communities.  

I enjoy spending my free time camping.  

Interested in being profiled?

Please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line “IPOS member profile submission”:

1. Name
2. Employment position
3. Employer/Institution
4. Country
5. Twitter handle (if available)
6. Jpg photo of yourself
7. 50-to-200-word description that notes details on your practice, involvement with IPOS and something “fun or interesting” about yourself.