15 February – International Childhood Cancer Day
The Association also presented the public with information on the problems and needs of the children with cancer, as well as the problems and needs faced by their families. The Pediatric Clinic in Skopje received 48 children with various types of cancer in 2005. According to Dr. Muratovska, the Head of the Department, the clinic has good supplies with cytostatics and other medicines, and the treatment is applied in accordance with the European protocols. Muratovska added that the early detection of the problems remains paramount, having in mind that we all carry onco-genes and it is only a matter of combination with an external agent (virus, radiation, chemicals) to triger the development of cancel. Even children from ecologically unpolluted areas get cancer. The parents gathered in “Peperutka” warn that a systemic solution for the problem of dyagnostication of the disease and treatment of children needs to be installed. Such an approach should help them in cases of shortages of cytostatics, which happened one year ago. Natasa Kotlar, “Peperutka” President, says that they have insisted for two years that the Department should engage psychologist and a physical therapist. „We asked for a social worker, too, but we were tolad that he whole Clinical Hospital has a single social worker, who was unable to also cover the Pediatric Clinic’s needs. Sometimes we have to seek special approval and authorisation to try and engage volunteers to work with the children”, says Kotlar and announced that a plan is under way to open a game-room at the Clinic, to help the children to forget, if for a moment, that they spend their lives in the hospital. |
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