French Radiotherapy Centres Open their Doors for World Radiotherapy Awareness Day
Radiotherapy teams in France opened their departments to new audiences as part of World Radiotherapy Awareness Day 2026, helping students, healthcare professionals, patients and the public learn more about radiotherapy and the people who deliver it.
Activities at Gustave Roussy and Centre Léon Bérard provided opportunities to step inside radiotherapy departments, meet members of multidisciplinary teams and discover more about the technology, careers and expertise involved in cancer treatment.
Gustave Roussy welcomes students behind the scenes
On 7 September, Gustave Roussy held its first World Radiotherapy Awareness Day Open Day, welcoming around 40 participants.
Students interested in radiation therapy, medical physics, pharmacy and research were invited to discover more about radiotherapy and the work of the department.
Throughout the evening, participants took part in small-group workshops and visited different areas of the radiotherapy department. The sessions gave them an opportunity to learn about the people, technologies and activities involved in delivering radiotherapy. Following the success of the first Open Day, the Gustave Roussy team hopes to organise the event again next year and continue supporting World Radiotherapy Awareness Day.
Centre Léon Bérard brings radiotherapy to different audiences
Centre Léon Bérard marked World Radiotherapy Awareness Day with a programme of activities designed to increase understanding of radiation oncology, inspire future professionals and showcase the multidisciplinary teams behind radiotherapy.
On 7 September, healthcare professionals were invited to tour a radiotherapy treatment room, with visits led by Radiation Therapists throughout the day.
Patients and visitors were also invited to “Let’s Demystify Radiotherapy”, a public information event where they could meet members of the Radiation Oncology team and ask questions about radiotherapy and modern cancer treatment.
Radiation Therapists, Medical Assistants, Medical Physicists and Radiation Oncologists took part, with interactive demonstrations including virtual reality, 3D-printed linear accelerator models, patient positioning and immobilisation devices, educational resources and information introducing the multidisciplinary radiotherapy team.
The activities continued on 8 September with a scientific seminar highlighting innovation in radiation therapy and creating an opportunity for clinicians, researchers and Radiation Therapists to discuss the future of patient-centred radiotherapy.
On 14 September, Centre Léon Bérard also held a careers webinar for students, introducing the wide range of professions involved in radiation oncology. Speakers discussed careers including Radiation Therapy, Medical Physics, Radiation Oncology and Medical Assistance, as well as educational pathways, university programmes and opportunities for students to gain experience at the centre.
Opening up radiotherapy
Together, the activities at Gustave Roussy and Centre Léon Bérard demonstrate how World Radiotherapy Awareness Day can help bring radiotherapy closer to the communities it serves. From welcoming students into radiotherapy departments and introducing future career opportunities to helping patients and the public understand how treatment works, both centres used WRAD to create conversations and increase awareness. Their activities also highlighted one of the central messages of World Radiotherapy Awareness Day: behind every treatment is a multidisciplinary team of skilled professionals working together to deliver safe and effective cancer care.
