Smile on the face
With a card, participants in the action let children with cancer and their families know that they are not alone. Nadiya is now 3 years old, and was treated at the Princess Máxima Center for a brain tumor from birth; ependymoma. Her mother says: 'All kinds of attentions like cards, put a smile on the face. Even if it is a short moment, such a smile is special when your child is so sick. A card gives not only a happy moment for our daughter but also support for us as parents. And that is very welcome in times of high stress, uncertainty and little sleep.'Quality of life
Prof. Dr. Martha Grootenhuis, head of psycho-oncological care and group leader at the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology: 'In our care and research for children with cancer, everything is focused on the child's development. This is precisely why we pay so much attention to the quality of life: how is the child doing physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively? It's really customized; we need a large palette of interventions. That's what makes quality of life research so important.''We treat children for their illnesses, but at the Máxima hospital we are aware that our patients are also children. With a card you actually say: 'I'm paying attention to you'. And attention is so important, also for brothers and sisters of children with cancer. Attention is love, actually.'