Irish Cancer Society Stimulus Award

The Irish Cancer Society recently awarded funding for our 2019 ‘Stimulus Award. The purpose of this award was to provide early-to mid-stage cancer researchers, nurses, and allied health professionals with an opportunity to drive forward a research project which, if given an injection of funding, has the potential to be both highly competitive and impactful.

Applications to the award were reviewed by an International Scientific Review Panel in the first instance, then shortlisted applicants were subsequently reviewed by an external PPI Panel. Importantly, the PPI Panel had the final decision in selecting the successful recipient of the Stimulus Award.

Stimulus Award 2019 Announcement

The Irish Cancer Society is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2019 Stimulus Award is Dr Simon Dunne, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Dublin City University. Simon’s project is a lung cancer intervention development study called Supportive Care fOR Everybody (SCORE). 

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in Ireland. Its diagnosis, consequences and treatment are associated with symptoms such as pain and dyspnoea; high rates of distress; and stigma. These challenges can result in reduced quality of life for people with lung cancer and their families.

In 2017, the Irish Cancer Society funded Simon, in collaboration with Professor Pamela Gallagher, to investigate the Supportive Care Needs (e.g. physical, emotional, social, informational needs) of lung cancer survivors and their caregivers/families. A key recommendation arising from this research was the need to develop evidence-based interventions addressing the needs of lung cancer survivors and their caregivers/families.

Simon’s Stimulus Award will drive forward this important work for people with lung cancer and their families by developing an evidence-based supportive care intervention to increase the quality of life and reduce distress in lung cancer survivors and their families/caregivers.