Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2026: Empowering Women to Make Healthier Choices Through Technology
Breast cancer remains a major public health challenge. According to the latest European Commission estimates, approximately 360,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the European Union in 2024, accounting for 29% of all cancer diagnoses among women. These figures, published in December 2025, highlight the continued importance of prevention, early detection, and innovative approaches to supporting women’s health [1] [2].
Although not all breast cancers can be prevented, adopting healthier lifestyle behaviours, including regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, and limiting alcohol consumption, can contribute to reducing breast cancer risk.
But knowing what is healthy is only the first step. How can we help people turn that knowledge into sustainable everyday habits?
MELIORA: Supporting healthier lifestyles through technology
The EU-funded MELIORA project explores how digital technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and evidence-based behavioural interventions can support sustainable lifestyle changes among women at risk of developing breast cancer, breast cancer patients, and survivors.
Through its digital Virtual Coach, MELIORA aims to provide personalised support that helps participants set realistic goals, monitor their behaviours, and make informed lifestyle choices.
Our contribution: Making personalised coaching work every day
At the Brain, Health & Virtual Reality (BHV) Group of CERTH–ITI, we develop the Personalized Lifestyle Coaching (PLC) system, a core component responsible for coordinating and delivering the personalised behaviour change experience within the MELIORA application.
Rather than operating as an isolated service, the PLC brings together information provided by different components of the MELIORA ecosystem, including lifestyle assessments, individual goals, and behavioural progress.
Its role is to transform this information into a structured, personalised coaching journey.
At the beginning of each week, the PLC coordinates goal-setting activities and uses available progress information to support realistic, achievable lifestyle targets.
Throughout the week, it orchestrates daily interactions, including progress monitoring, personalised motivational messages, practical tips and educational materials.
Importantly, the system also delivers behavioural nudges: timely reminders and encouraging messages designed to help participants stay engaged, overcome everyday challenges and maintain progress towards their goals.
By continuously incorporating feedback from participants and connected services, the PLC helps ensure that the coaching experience remains relevant to each individual’s needs and progress.
Combining behavioural science with digital service orchestration, our work aims to bridge the gap between health recommendations and everyday action.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we highlight how technology can move beyond raising awareness to provide continuous, personalised support for healthier lifestyles.
đŸ’— Because healthier habits are built one day, one goal, and one small step at a time.
References
[1] European Commission, Joint Research Centre (2025). The latest EU cancer data: What is new? European Cancer Information System (ECIS). Published 17 December 2025.
https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/latest-eu-cancer-data-what-new-2025-12-17_en
[2] World Health Organization (2026). Breast cancer. WHO Fact Sheet, updated 3 July 2026.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer
Provides the latest global breast cancer burden estimates, including approximately 2.4 million new diagnoses among women in 2024.