The Princess Máxima Center offered help more than a week ago to provide care and treatment to Ukrainian children with cancer, now that an acute emergency has arisen due to the war. Since then, the Princess Máxima Center has made preparations for the humanitarian airlift and the reception of the children. Employees of the Máxima, the Netherlands Childhood Cancer Association and partner organizations have coordinated this relief effort with united forces. In a short time, accommodation was found in host families and a number of vacation homes.
Start treatment
Prof. dr. Rob Pieters, pediatric oncologist and member of the board of directors of the Princess Máxima Center, says: ‘Our main goal is to start the treatment of the children from Ukraine as soon as possible, as it has been stopped or slowed in the past two weeks. We have organized the treatment of these children in such a way that care for Dutch children with cancer can continue undisturbed.’
Diagnoses
The children are between zero and eighteen years old and have various cancer diagnoses. Most children will continue their treatment with chemotherapy, which takes place partly on an outpatient or day patient basis and partly via admissions. Others will also undergo surgery or receive a stem cell transplant in the near future.
The children and their accompanying family are tired but also relieved that they are in a safe place. In the coming days, they will travel from their host families to the Princess Máxima Center for their treatment and will gradually get used to the situation in the Netherlands.
Warm welcome
Dr. Kathelijne Kraal, pediatric oncologist and head of the International Office at the Princess Máxima Center, traveled with the team to pick up the children from Poland. She says: ‘Thankfully, the trip went well. We are proud of all the people and organizations that helped us make this special relief effort a success. Together we were able to offer these Ukrainian children with cancer and their families a warm welcome.’The following organisations have contributed to this relief action:
Corendon, AKD, RCN Vakantieparken, Pon, Albert Heijn, Vodafone, Stichting Gaandeweg, Stichting Mag ik dan Bij Jou, Bolderman excursiereizen, Drukwerkdeal.nl.