Each day will feature a variety of sessions, both plenary and in (sub)groups. In addition to presentations on groundbreaking research in childhood cancer, there are numerous educational and networking sessions covering a wide range of topics.
The role of nurses
During the Nursing Educational Day, the focus is on the impact of innovative therapies on children with cancer, their families, and healthcare professionals. Nurses will, for example, delve into their role in developments such as the latest insights into CAR-T therapy.
Nurses from the Máxima are well represented, including Renske Karens, who is also moderating several sessions. Renske looks forward to an inspiring congress, with the Educational Day as a promising start: ‘This day offers space for reflection, learning, and awareness—with the goal of providing ever better nursing care, here and worldwide.’
Meeting point
In addition to the congress participants, the Princess Máxima Center is also present at booth 15A. This stand serves as a meeting point where Máxima staff from care, research, and the Academy can connect with colleagues from around the world. To showcase a remarkable innovation from the Máxima, the booth features the ‘Infuuts’: a small bicycle with an IV pole attached, allowing young children with an IV to ride around freely.
Cancer during pregnancy
Evangeline Huis in ’t Veld, a PhD student in the Van den Heuvel-Eibrink group, is presenting in the ‘highly rated abstracts’ session of the PPO, the SIOP group focused on pediatric psycho-oncology. She shares her research on children whose mothers underwent cancer treatment during pregnancy.
She studied 70 children, on average two years old, who were exposed to chemotherapy before birth, sometimes combined with radiotherapy or surgery. The results showed that these children developed just as well as their peers: chemotherapy had no adverse effect on their development.
Next generation researchers
For the first time this year, postdoctoral researchers in pediatric oncology organized the SIOP-NEXT event. This special theme day during SIOP brings them together to strengthen their networking, collaboration, and career skills. The day is aimed at building an international community of early-career researchers in translational research and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.
Exhibition
A congress on childhood cancer would not be complete without a connection to the children at its heart. In Hall 3 of the congress venue, four posters offer a preview of the exhibition: ‘Heroes: A world without childhood cancer,’ highlighting the international work of the Princess Máxima Center to reduce disparities in childhood cancer survival.
The exhibition is on display at De Hallen, Amsterdam. Take GVB tram 3. Open from October 16 to November 16, 2025, daily from 10:00 to 17:00. Location: De Hallen, Amsterdam – De Passage (posters) & De Galerie (exhibition). Admission is free.
Official opening
In the evening, the SIOP Congress will be officially opened. The opening ceremony, themed ‘The Power of Imagination,’ puts children at the center. Various interviews highlight the importance of international collaboration and knowledge sharing: together, we work towards SIOP’s mission, ‘no child should die of cancer – cure for more, care for all.’ The ceremony combined substantive content with impressive entertainment, including performances by the children’s choir and dancers from the Dutch Musical Academy, bandoneonist Carel Kraayenhof, and a spoken word artist.
With that, the 57th edition of the SIOP Congress is in full swing. In the coming days, researchers and healthcare professionals in Amsterdam will gain new insights and make valuable connections. With so many inspiring sessions and international colleagues, the SIOP Congress promises to be a rich exchange of knowledge and experience. Stay tuned to our website and social media channels for the latest news from the congress floor.