And what comes after COVID-19?

The last few months have shaken the whole world. We have gone through different stages, as with any serious diagnosis: horror, denial and anger, followed by acceptance, cooperation and resilience.

In Switzerland, the following measures were taken quickly and very efficiently: psychosocial support to accompany people, financial help to compensate for a lack of income, teleworking to be able to stay at home with the family, and finally schooling from a distance. We have been dreaming of measures like this for years because they make life much easier for families. But without success. And now they are possible for everyone.

The whole of society has reorganised itself to deal with this situation. This includes self-isolation, which involves close people not being able to see each other for a certain period of time, and the cessation of all activities that are not absolutely necessary. All of this is very similar to what families experience for months, if not years, when their child suddenly develops cancer.

Even if the pandemic disappears soon, cancer will continue to debilitate many families for a long time. Solutions have been found to allow parents to stay away from their jobs during the pandemic without fear of losing their livelihood. We would like to see such an option maintained in the event of a child becoming seriously ill. We cannot imagine that this support will disappear with the end of the pandemic.

The government, as well as the people, have clearly demonstrated the following during this special time: mutual help, cooperation and care are key – because we are only stronger together!