We set out to co-create a collaborative project that would raise awareness of radiotherapy, explore young adults' experiences of cancer treatment, and share radiotherapy research with audiences beyond academia. To do this, we partnered radiotherapy researchers with young adults who had undergone radiotherapy, co-creating a series of episodes for an established oncology podcast. These conversations offered space for participants to share their stories and personal insights, both as patients and as researchers. Six young adults and six researchers took part, supported by preparatory discussions to help shape meaningful conversations. Each podcast episode featured unique patient experiences alongside different areas of radiotherapy research. An independent evaluation, based on semi-structured interviews with participants and hosts, highlighted the importance of relational connection, mutual respect, and the value of having a dedicated project coordinator. The episodes were downloaded over 3000 times in 120 countries. Participants described feeling heard and appreciated, and several researchers reflected on the renewed motivation and perspective gained through the project. This collaboration suggests how podcasting has the potential to serve as an accessible and emotionally resonant tool for engagement, enabling researchers and patients to connect in new ways and share knowledge with a broader public. Future projects of this kind may benefit from a similar co-creative and well-supported approach.
Keywords: Cancer research; Engagement; Podcast; Radiation oncology; Radiotherapy; Young adults.
Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) in cancer research is important as it helps to align research objectives with patients’ priorities. Here, the focus was on radiotherapy, and our participants were young adults diagnosed with cancer and treated with radiotherapy, as they often have experiences of their condition and treatment unique to their age. It is important that these experiences are understood so radiotherapy is as effective as possible and patients can be given the best support and care. Researchers and young adults do not often get the chance to talk to each other. We wanted to find out whether podcasts could be used to create conversations between researchers and young people while simultaneously raising awareness of experiences and research with a wider audience. We recorded six episodes of the podcast, Rad Chat, with young adults and researchers and gathered feedback from those who took part. The podcasts were listened to worldwide. Young adults said that they felt heard and that their contributions were valued. Researchers welcomed the chance to chat with people with experience of cancer and radiotherapy and some told us this gave them more motivation for their work. We also found that the project benefitted from a dedicated project coordinator. Overall, this project showed that podcasts may be useful for engaging patients and healthcare professionals with radiotherapy research and reaching an audience beyond academia.
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