The Cancer Experiences Research Collaborative (CECo): building research capacity in supportive and palliative care

To date, there has been only limited research into the supportive and palliative care experienced by people with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses. There is an urgent need to improve our understanding of the problems faced by people whose lives are changed by serious illness, and to use our knowledge to build better and more responsive programmes of care. The preferences, choices, stories, and voices of those affected by life-limiting illness are now central to the development of more and better research in supportive and palliative care. CECo is a new collaboration between experts from many disciplines and backgrounds that over the next 5 years will work to enhance the quality and impact of research in cancer care by taking a fresh look at some challenging problems. Its goal is to use research evidence to change clinical practice and service organisation in ways that will improve the care of people affected by cancer and other serious illnesses. CECo involves leading universities and professional organisations as well as hospice and cancer services from across England. Its purpose is to raise the standard of research, generate new resources, and foster innovation.