World Cancer Day is marked every February 4 all over the world. This date was established by the International Cancer Society and the World Health Organization to raise awareness about cancer and support cancer patients, their families, and survivors.
Campaign #CloseTheCareGap, which is in focus at the global level this year, is implemented to reduce inequality in access to preventive services, diagnosis, treatment, and care of cancer patients.
In the region, support for cancer patients is an often supported area, so this February, companies, non-profit organizations, and citizens are launching various actions and giving their contributions; what they looked like and how you can contribute, read below.
Rehabilitation camp Let's defeat cancer together
The Association of families and friends of children with leukemia and other malignant diseases from Tuzla Canton, PIPOL, from January 22 to 25, 2023, organized a rehabilitation camp for children and young people cured of cancer from the area of Tuzla Canton.
The camp is a part of the Let's defeat cancer together project, whose general sponsor is the Federal Ministry of Health.
The winners from the area of Tuzla Canton, who spent the past few days in the sports and recreation center in Olovo, accompanied by their parents, enjoyed the joys of winter, which had a unique charm for children and young people who recently finished intensive hospital treatment and protective therapies.
They are real heroes who every day achieve new victories on the way to final recovery. They are the best example and encouragement for all the little ones currently fighting the villain called cancer, pointed out Amra Saračević, president of the Association.
Businesswomen donated money for children suffering from cancer
Members of the Section for Women's Entrepreneurship of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) recently donated 387,000 dinars to the Association Always with children, which helps children with cancer.
The director of the Entrepreneurship Sector of the PKS, Branislava Simanić, thanked the entrepreneurs and invited everyone who can join the humanitarian activities of the Women's Entrepreneurship Section to help those who need help the most.
Children organized an action for NURDOR
In Dečija radost kindergarten in Irig, children are taught humanity and the importance of helping people from an early age. Hence, children and employees of this institution are frequent initiators and organizers of humanitarian actions.
They recently organized a charity sale of handmade ornaments, and all proceeds from the sale were donated National Association of parents of children with cancer (NURDOR).
Our wish was to be NURDOR heroes again this year, like children who are being treated for malignant diseases - real little superheroes. We organized New Year's workshops where unique decorations were created with the joint effort of children and parents. These decorations became part of the New Year's trees, which decorated the entrances of kindergartens. We invited parents, locals, and all our associates to choose one or more decorations for themselves and their loved ones. Each ornament is unique and carries love and support and a new hope for children being treated for malignant diseases, explained director Jelena Vidanović and added that through this action, they confirmed that a lot could be achieved and changed through togetherness.
MT-KOMEX is building a solar power plant for NURDOR
Another utterly unique donation to NURDOR comes from the company MT-KOMEX, a pioneer in constructing solar power plants in Serbia.
On the occasion of marking 30 years of business, this company will donate a solar power plant to the NURDOR association.
They will build a small solar power plant with a power of 7 kW on one of the houses used by NURDOR, which will help reduce the monthly costs for electricity and redirect those funds to other needs of the Association and its users.
It is pretty clear how valuable and significant this donation is because the solar power plant we received from MT-KOMEX will find its entire purpose and serve our small tenants and the big Super Heroes in their fight. Thank you so much, and be proud of doing such a great and humane thing, said Joland Korora, president of NURDOR.
Action STOP cervical cancer
Under the mentorship of prof. Ph.D. Dženita Ljuca, male and female students of the Faculty of Medicine in Tuzla, but also from Sarajevo, Mostar, and Zenica, in cooperation with the Association of Medical Students in BiH - BoHeMSA and the Student Council of the Faculty of Medicine in Tuzla MEDICUS organized the humanitarian campaign STOP cervical cancer.
The aim is to develop awareness about this disease and encourage women to undergo preventive examinations.
Charity concert for the Association We are not alone
With a charity concert on February 12, 2023, at the Croatian National Theater in Zagreb, on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the We are not alone (Nismo same) Association, which helps women who have cancer, the Rotary Club of Zagreb Gornji Grad wants to secure as many funds as possible to finance the transportation of female patients by taxi to hospitals for chemotherapy and radiation and back to their homes or the nearest train or bus station.
The following will perform for free on the stage of the Croatian National Theater and thus contribute to the campaign:
- Martina Filjak, the most internationally engaged Croatian pianist,
- Lana Kos, Croatian soprano of exceptional international reputation, prima donna of the younger generation,
- Monika Leskovar, winner of numerous domestic and foreign awards and the best Croatian cellist,
- Gordan Tudor, one of the leading musicians of his generation in Croatia.
You can get tickets through the platform Entrio and thus support the action You are not alone; you are coming with us.
Artists from the LUNA Association donated 24 paintings to oncology
The Association of Fine Artists of Niš - LUNA donated 24 of their paintings to the Oncology Clinic of the University Hospital of Niš. The Association received a thank you note from the Clinic for this gesture.
The donated pictures will be found on the walls of the day hospital and in the inpatient clinic of the Oncology Clinic, and patients will thus receive therapy in more humane conditions.
All over the world, oncology wards, and especially the wards where children are treated, are the most beautifully decorated because these are the patients who spend a lot of time in the hospital, and it is vital for them that, in addition to receiving adequate treatment, they are in a pleasant environment, pointed out the director of the Oncology Clinic, Dr. Ana Cvetanović.
Vladislav Bogićević, president of the Association of Fine Artists of Niš LUNA, said that the Association members traditionally engage in humanitarian activities.
We donated pictures to Hematology and the Children's Internal Clinic a few years ago. After that, we donated paintings to treat children suffering from serious diseases, and now we are donating pictures to the Oncology Clinic. We all know that severe patients lie here, and when they have to be here, let's somehow draw their attention with beautiful pictures, Bogićević said.
Therapeutic riding for children who have cancer in Bosnia and Herzegovina
It has been proven that contact with horses and riding have a therapeutic effect on children and can improve the psycho-physical and social health of small hemato-oncology patients. In the long term, that can affect a positive treatment outcome and a better psycho-physical form during the treatment itself.
The Association Heart for Children with Cancer (Srce za Djecu oboljelu od raka) implemented a therapeutic riding project to improve the lives of children and young people suffering from and being treated for cancer in 2021 and 2022, during which 30 children worked on their empowerment through riding.
Therapeutic horse riding and hippotherapy were carried out at the Pegasos sports and recreation center in Sarajevo, which is currently home to three associations - the Unlimited Recreational Program, the Pegasos Equestrian Club, and the Riders of Hope Association.
Jelena Bralović, Master of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, engaged in therapeutic horse riding and hippotherapy at the club, said that the most significant benefit, especially for children who suffer from malignant diseases, is that it is an activity in nature.
In the first place are the relaxing atmosphere, the environment, nature, and animals. The horse itself has a therapeutic effect. There is no need to even ride in some situations; it is enough to be near the horse and positively affects the psyche. There is a reason why a horse is used. It is because the heart rate of horses is much lower than that of humans. A horse has a temperature one degree Celsius higher than us. And therefore, the horse is a very warm animal; she pointed out.
We know therapeutic riding has many positive effects on children, and dealing with a malignant disease takes a long time. Children develop separation anxiety because they are often separated from their parents and family. Through this project, we managed to empower them to face their fear and come to riding lessons independently, without being accompanied by their parents, which was a big plus, explained Aldina Selimagić-Šljivo, psychologist of the Association Heart for children with cancer.
She also announced implementing the Therapeutic Riding project in the future, perhaps in other cantons.
Persistent in support. Together!
The Association A heart for children (Srce za djecu) announced that on the occasion of February 15, the International Day of Children suffering from and being treated for cancer, they are launching the Persist in Support. Together! Online campaign.
The aim of it is to raise awareness about childhood cancer.
One way to support the fundraising campaign is to call the humanitarian number 17010 or buy HEART (SRCE) products at srceshop.ba. For more details, follow the Facebook page Association.
IPKO donated to the Oncology Clinic in Pristina
The IPKO company presented a donation to the Oncology Clinic of the Pediatric Hospital in Pristina.
The donation consists of a washing machine and dryer, quilts and sheets for the Pediatric Clinic, five beds for chemotherapy, wigs, and breast prostheses for patients at the Oncology Clinic, and personal items for patients.
Rontis organizes a public event to raise awareness and take care of personal health
Company Rontis is organizing a public event to raise awareness and care about the personal health of its fellow citizens, announced manager Bojana Dimovska.
The public event will be held on February 3, 2023, ahead of World Cancer Day, to raise cancer awareness and encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. An open educational event on cancer prevention and early detection, which also aims to motivate citizens to fight against taboos, will be held at the Jordan HK Giant theater in Veles starting at 6 p.m.
The managers of Rontis pointed out that they want to contribute to the preventive part of raising the quality of public health, so they decided to be the organizers of the public manifestation of an open character. They sent an invitation to all citizens of Veles who want to know about prevention and examinations that contribute to early detection and protection against various diseases.
Register on our Giving Balkans application to learn more about donations to support cancer patients in the Western Balkans.
If you want to support yourself, we remind you of the associations that in their communities are dedicated to the daily fight against cancer and helping those who struggle with it and their families, and for whom the community's support is of inestimable importance. Only some of them are Always with children, Tinkerbell, Phoenix, NURDOR, Heart for children with cancer, Yefimija Counseling Center, PEOPLE, Everything for her, We are not alone, Milica Women's Center, Ana Rukavina Foundation, and Firefly. Surely you know of someone who is not on the list - let us know so that we can create a story and expand the circle of support for those who, by supporting a vital struggle, are doing important things in their environment.
