World Cancer Day collaboration supports clearer, more inclusive access to cancer clinical trials
DERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND, UNITED KINGDOM, February 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Hive Cancer Support today announced a new partnership with pRxEngage Inc. to help make clinical trial opportunities easier to find and easier to understand for people affected by cancer.
Announced on World Cancer Day, the partnership responds to a simple reality. There is a vast amount of research taking place globally, but many patients and families never see what may be available to them. The issue is rarely a lack of research. The issue is visibility, clarity, and access.
As part of the partnership, Hive Cancer Support has embedded the pRxEngage Inc clinical trial hub directly on its website. The hub enables visitors to explore trials by condition and location and access clearer, plain language trial information to support decision making.
Importantly, the clinical trial hub is designed to be inclusive, not exclusive. It lists a significant number of ongoing and upcoming clinical trials across a wide range of cancers and other health conditions. This reflects a principle shared by Hive Cancer Support and pRxEngage Inc. Access to information and opportunity should not be reserved for the few, it should be available to all. Hive Cancer Support has a long history of campaigning for equal access to both clinical trials and treatment for people affected by a cancer diagnosis.
Across healthcare, people from underserved ethnic communities and those facing socioeconomic barriers are often less likely to be aware of clinical trials or to be offered opportunities to participate. Community organisations like Hive play a critical role in closing that gap by creating trusted pathways, and helping ensure no one is out of reach of support, options, or hope.
“World Cancer Day is not just about awareness. It is about removing barriers” said Keith Berelowitz, Founder and CEO of pRxEngage Inc. “Too many people living with cancer are expected to search across multiple websites, decode technical trial criteria, and work out next steps, often while overwhelmed and under time pressure. Hive Cancer Support is exactly the kind of organisation that does not wait for solutions to arrive, they build them. This partnership brings research opportunities to where people already are and helps individuals see what may be available to them in a way that respects their time, their emotions, and their right to make informed choice”.
Maureen Collins, Project Manager at Hive Cancer Support commented: “World Cancer Day is about raising awareness, encouraging action and ensuring people affected by cancer feel informed and supported”.
Maureen added. “When it comes to cancer treatments and support, we always quote Professor Mark Lawler of Queens University Belfast who says ‘cancer knows no borders, so why should we?’ Cancer does not discriminate and it has always been a cornerstone of our work to challenge and redress inequalities in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment experienced by people in marginalised and under resourced communities”.
“We know first-hand from our members who have taken part in clinical trials what a lifeline they can be, but we also know how challenging and stressful it can be trying to find one that’s the right fit.
“By hosting the pRxEngage Inc. clinical trial hub on our website, we’re helping to make reliable clinical trial information more accessible for people living with cancer and their families.
“It was very important to us to bring Keith Berelowitz to our annual World Cancer Day Conference so our members and colleagues can see a live demonstration of the hub and how it can be used and the informed choices it can offer.
Spotlight on cancers where clarity and time matter
While Hive Cancer Support supports people affected by many cancer types, two cancers illustrate why better trial visibility and plain language support matters so much.
The first is prostate cancer, which affects a large number of men but is still too often discussed less openly than it should be. The second is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a fast-moving blood cancer where time and access to accurate information can be critical.
These cancers have been highlighted because they reflect two different but equally important realities. In prostate cancer, awareness does not always translate into action, and many men delay seeking help or exploring options. In AML, decisions may need to be made urgently, and information gaps can quickly become barriers.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men. In the UK, there are around 55,300 new cases each year. In Northern Ireland, more than 1,400 men are diagnosed annually, with around 290 deaths each year. Black men in the UK face a one in four risk of developing prostate cancer, compared to one in eight for white men.
Despite increased public awareness, many men still delay talking about symptoms, delay seeking support, or feel pressure to cope privately. That silence can reduce access to information and delay exploration of options, including clinical trials.
There is also significant global research activity. There are a significant prostate cancer clinical trials that are ongoing or expected to recruit, many sponsored by biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Another cancer that deserves greater awareness is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). AML is an aggressive blood cancer affecting the bone marrow and blood. It can progress quickly, meaning decisions may need to be made under intense pressure.
In the UK, around 3,000 people and more than 20,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with this fast progressing cancer each year.
Whilst treatments do exist, a number of people will experience relapsed AML, where the disease returns after treatment, or refractory AML, where it does not respond to initial therapy. In these moments, a common question becomes urgent.
If standard treatment is not working, what comes next?
Globally, there is a lot of opportunities to consider and take part in AML clinical trials with a significant focus on the rare forms as a result of a KMT2A gene rearrangement focused on relapsed and refractory disease.
Research is growing, but visibility has not kept pace
Clinical research continues to grow year on year. Large registries such as ClinicalTrials.gov contain hundreds of thousands of registered studies, with a substantial proportion focused on cancer. The challenge for many patients is not that research does not exist. It is that it can be difficult to find relevant options and understand what they mean in real terms.
An interventional clinical trial is a study where participants receive a specific treatment or care approach being evaluated, such as a new medicine, a new combination of medicines, or a different treatment strategy, so researchers can assess outcomes. Interventional trials often represent the most direct pathway to accessing new treatment approaches under medical oversight.
Why clinical trials can still feel out of reach
Even when trials exist, common barriers include limited awareness that trials may be an option, fragmented information across multiple websites, and eligibility criteria written in technical language. Practical barriers can also include travel requirements, time commitment, visit frequency, and uncertainty about what participation involves day to day.
These barriers do not affect everyone equally. In many healthcare systems, people from underserved ethnic communities and those facing socioeconomic barriers can experience reduced visibility of clinical trial options, even when those options exist.
This partnership is intended to reduce these barriers by giving people a clearer starting point. It supports trial visibility and understanding through a trusted community organisation, rather than placing the burden on individuals to search alone.
Making clinical trials understandable and personal
Platforms that present clinical trials should be built around clarity. It should not require medical expertise to interpret what a study involves, what participation may look like, or what questions to ask.
Plain language summaries can help patients and families understand what a study is trying to do, what the commitment may involve, and how it could fit into real life, including work, family responsibilities, travel, and emotional wellbeing.
This matters because the decision is not only whether someone qualifies for a trial. It is also whether the trial feels right for them as a person, with their own needs, preferences, and circumstances.
The partnership between Hive Cancer Support and pRxEngage Inc. reflects a wider shift toward collaboration between trusted community organisations and modern clinical trial discovery tools to help close the gap between clinical research and real people’s lives, in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the United States, and beyond.
About Hive Cancer Support
Hive Cancer Support is a community-based organisation supporting people affected by cancer through inclusive support groups, practical initiatives, and advocacy. Hive Cancer Support is based in Derry city and provides services across the Northwest and in Donegal and is committed to reducing isolation and ensuring no one faces cancer alone.
About pRxEngage Inc
pRxEngage Inc has developed a clinical trial discovery and decision support platform that helps people explore research opportunities with greater clarity and confidence. It provides structured, plain language guidance so individuals can understand what a study involves, what participation may look like, and what questions to ask.
The aim is not only to support eligibility awareness, but also to help people decide whether a trial feels right for them personally, based on their needs and circumstances. In doing so, pRxEngage supports informed choice and patient agency, bringing a more human lens to a process that can often feel technical and overwhelming.
Marianne Flood
Hive Cancer Support
+44 7842 023935
mariannepinkladies@gmail.com
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