Description
The promoter and its partner were founded by parents of children with cancer in Portugal and Spain, and both are dedicated to providing the best possible quality of life for children and families living with this grave illness, by working with survivors of child cancer. These survivors are role models for those currently living with the disease, and they themselves need support in their journey of cancer survival, which leaves physical and psychological consequences for life. The project aims to provide specific inclusion activities through culture, arts and sports, in order to normalize the physical and psychological condition of these children and youth. For young people, which have higher degree of maturity and understanding in the face of the disease, other activities will also be proposed, which encourage their active participation in addressing their specific problems. The project will also seek to intervene in society, by raising awareness and demystifying some issues linked to cancer, and through the dissemination of information on rights and support services for children and youth.
Summary of project results
At the national level, about 400 new cases of children / young people with cancer per year are diagnosed. These children / young people experience periods of stress and anxiety. During treatment the side effects are multiple and cause great suffering and even after the treatment ends these children and young people often suffer from discrimination. Taking into account the characteristics of oncological disease and the high toxicity of treatments, patients still experience at least a late effect of the disease. Noteworthy are the changes in neurocognitive functioning and academic achievement, fertility problems, changes in growth and development, organ damage and risk of second neoplasms. At the psychosocial level, survivors of childhood cancer present a large probability of depression and decreased self-esteem. A number of social, educational and cultural actions (including arts and sports) promoting inclusion and well-being to these children and youngsters have been developed involving 70 individuals. Out of these, 20 have participated in training courses for employability. Simultaneously the NGO was able to attract 24 new volunteers to work with these vulnerable children and create more favorable living conditions. An image of “Barnabé”, a child victim of cancer, was created and disseminated among the population to reduce prejudice. Partnerships with several entities (namely private companies) were established as a concrete result of the project ensuring its sustainability. The partnership established with the Spanish counterpart dealing with the same issues in Spain was of utmost importance to share experiences and strategies on management of cancer survivors and on volunteering monitoring. The project fully met its initial targets.
Summary of bilateral results