Members of the association, queens of the Festes, and those affected ask for visibility of their social reality and claim the need for long-term follow-up after cancer discharge
Aspanion calls for their voice to be heard by affected families on the occasion of International Childhood Cancer Day
The Local Board of the Association of Parents of Children with Cancer in the Valencian Community (Aspanion) has once again claimed today that the voice of the affected families "be heard", that their social reality be made visible and that reality be taken into account in the public health system.
On the occasion of the International Childhood Cancer Day, a manifesto has been read today at Plaza de SS.MM. The text was read by members of the local Board, who have affected parents, the representative of the local Board of the association, Fran Morcuende, the queens of the Festes, Chloe D'Hebboudt and Aila Merenciano, and Aitana, a little affected by the disease.
During the reading, it has become clear that each year around 150 cases of cancer are diagnosed in the Valencian Community in children under 18 years of age with a survival rate of 80% in Spain, although "it is also true that many families have lost their sons or daughters and ask not to forget" because "cancer is the leading cause of infant death by disease."
They have called for more research because "many tumours are specific to childhood and adolescence and need their own and differentiated treatments." They have also stressed the need for long-term follow-up for survivors "beyond cancer discharge" and "enable health mechanisms so that patients have all the information about their disease, treatments and consequences."
The act was closed by Mayor Toni Pérez, who said that "we continue in the fight" and has endorsed "this shared claim to stand up to this scourge that affects society". He has transferred "all the encouragement to those who fight and suffer from this disease" and also to "those who claim what the rest of us need".