“My greatest wish is to lead an independent life!”
Delia Mazuret is 22 years old and is one of the young adults who were diagnosed with cancer as a child and were successfully treated – someone we call a survivor. Cured, however, does not automatically mean healthy; Delia, like many other survivors, suffers from the late effects of both the disease and the therapy. Despite the restrictions she has to live with, she wants to learn a profession and later be able to stand on her own two feet.
When Delia was 11, she suddenly started to suffer from severe headaches and to see everything around her twice over. A three-week assessment phase began and ended with immediate admission to the intensive care unit. The diagnosis: a brain tumour the size of a table tennis ball that had to be operated on immediately. The unexpected diagnosis was a real shock for her parents. Delia had to stay in hospital for 12 months – 12 months in which she was operated on and received both radiation treatment and chemotherapy. Her parents took turns spending time in hospital with her and her school friends visited her regularly. These visits helped her forget her cancer for a short while.
“I only look to the future – because I cannot change the past.”
Delia Mazuret, survivor
It is only very rarely that you meet someone who, despite these strokes of fate, is so cheerful and possesses the intelligent humour Delia has. She says of herself: “I only look to the future – because I cannot change the past.” Delia goes to the group meetings for survivors organised by Childhood Cancer Switzerland. This is where she meets people who have had similar experiences and face similar problems. Delia’s story is one example of many former childhood cancer patients who are now having to struggle with the late effects of the disease and therapy. In addition to the physical and sometimes psychological problems, it is often also a matter of existential hardship when the limitations make future career prospects difficult.
In order for survivors like Delia to receive better follow-up care and more support, Childhood Cancer Switzerland campaigns for their interests. The Survivors’ Centre advises those affected on all kinds of issues and difficulties and organises regular meetings with professional support, at which survivors can obtain information and exchange ideas with like-minded people.
“As a survivor, it helps me immensely to know that there is a competence centre I can turn to at any time with my worries and questions, one that can provide me with competent advice and support and give me the opportunity to network with other survivors.”
Hannes K., former childhood cancer patient
Why commit to a regular donation?
Cancer often accompanies children and adolescents for the rest of their lives because of the late effects. With a regular donation, you make it possible for us to work sustainably for those affected and to implement long-term projects.
Survivors
Better follow-up care and equal opportunities for long-term survivors
- More
About 80 per cent of all survivors suffer from the late effects of their disease and therapy. Childhood Cancer Switzerland promotes their interests with the services offered by the competence centre. The focus is on improving follow-up care to ensure that those affected can enjoy a better quality of life and more equal opportunities in the future.
Families affected
Optimal care and better legal framework for families
- More
In addition to a family’s concerns about a child’s survival, parents face unexpected organisational, psychological and financial burdens after receiving the diagnosis. Together with our member organisations, we are committed to optimising treatment programmes, to more psychosocial and socio-legal care services, as well as to better legal framework conditions so that families receive optimal care and support during and after therapy.
Research
Promoting childhood cancer research for better chances of recovery and fewer late effects
- More
Thanks to continuous progress in research, four out of five children and adolescents now survive cancer. Because state funding is far from sufficient, research depends on financial support from private donations and grants. Childhood Cancer Switzerland supports childhood cancer research so that even more children and adolescents can be cured and the late effects reduced.
