CLL Horizons 2025 – Daily Recap: Day 2, Friday, 12 September

The second day of the conference focused on the theme of Decide, highlighting the vital role of information and communication in empowering patients to make confident choices about their care.

The morning began with a satellite symposium on closing the communication gap between patients and healthcare professionals during active monitoring. This discussion set the tone for a day dedicated to shared decision-making and health literacy. One of the strongest takeaways was the reminder that delivering clear, compassionate, and balanced information is not just a courtesy but a cornerstone of quality care.

Health literacy emerged as another critical issue. Sessions unpacked how complex medical language can create barriers to understanding, and how advocates and clinicians can work together to bridge this gap. Practical strategies—such as simplifying terminology, tailoring information, and using inclusive communication—were shared as ways to give patients clarity and confidence in navigating their care journeys.

The late morning breakouts offered hands-on learning for advocacy organizations. Larger groups explored strategies for fundraising at scale and smarter resource allocation, while smaller organizations focused on simple but high-impact methods to stretch limited budgets. These sessions reflected the diversity of advocacy organizations worldwide and reinforced the importance of equipping each with tools suited to their size and context.

In the afternoon, participants joined colleagues from the iwCLL conference for a joint session that underscored the importance of collaboration across research and advocacy. Discussions centered on immune-related challenges in CLL, gaps between clinical evidence and real-world patient experience, and new initiatives to tackle these issues collectively. Another session highlighted the growing role of patients in research design, showcasing how partnerships between scientists and patient advocates can lead to more effective and inclusive clinical trials.

The day closed with a cultural highlight: a guided walk through Krakow leading to a reception at Wawel Castle. This setting provided the perfect backdrop for participants to continue conversations and deepen connections, blending the scientific with the social in a memorable evening.

We would like to thank the following for their event grant support: