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Caring for children with cancer evacuated from Ukraine: the patients’ perception
  • +20
  • Maura Massimino,
  • Marcello Bolognese,
  • Daniele Cabibbe,
  • Anna Zecca,
  • Marta Fornara,
  • Mariangela Armiraglio,
  • Roman Kizyma,
  • Roberto Luksch,
  • Monica Terenziani,
  • Michela Casanova,
  • Filippo Spreafico,
  • Cristina Meazza,
  • Marta Podda,
  • Veronica Biassoni,
  • Elisabetta Schiavello,
  • Stefano Chiaravalli,
  • Shushan Hovsepyan,
  • Luca Bergamaschi,
  • Giovanna Gattuso,
  • Olga Nigro,
  • Annarita Adduci,
  • Andrea Ferrari,
  • Carlo Clerici
Maura Massimino
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Marcello Bolognese
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Daniele Cabibbe
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Anna Zecca
Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo
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Marta Fornara
no affiliation
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Mariangela Armiraglio
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Roman Kizyma
Lvivs'kii medichnii institut
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Roberto Luksch
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Monica Terenziani
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Michela Casanova
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Filippo Spreafico
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Cristina Meazza
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Marta Podda
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Veronica Biassoni
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Elisabetta Schiavello
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Stefano Chiaravalli
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Shushan Hovsepyan
Haybusak University of Yerevan Faculty of Medicine
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Luca Bergamaschi
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Giovanna Gattuso
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Olga Nigro
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Annarita Adduci
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Andrea Ferrari
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Carlo Clerici
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
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Abstract

Background and Aims. Since the war in Ukraine which began on February 2022, many pediatric oncology centers have welcomed patients from Ukraine. To understand the needs of patients and families arriving at our hospital, an anonymous questionnaire investigated the families’ backgrounds, feelings and impressions about hospitality and care. Methods Twenty items investigated how patients had reached Italy, from whom they received help (logistically/economically); emotions regarding their statusas war refugees; knowledge, expectations, and opinions about Italy and Italians; the quality of medical care received and relationships with the healthcare staff; suggestions to improve assistance. Results Questionnaires were completed by 19/32 patient/parents in the time interval May-November 2022 in two different pediatric-oncology centers in the north of Italy. Most families had reached Italy (58%) and received medical care (95%) thanks to the help of Charities and the Italian Public Health Care System. Many of them (69%) declared themselves to be satisfied by the assistance. The Italian population appeared friendly (95%) and generous (58%). The improvement of their stay correlated with the positive outcome of their children (15%), the presence of the whole family (15%), the end of the war (10%), and the overcoming of language barriers (10%) Conclusions. Taking care of children from a different country suffering the traumatic experience of fleeing their country in addition to the equally traumatic condition of cancer disease, is a huge task. Our questionnaire aimed at obtaining a better understanding of families’ conditions, not at bridging the relational gap due to different culture and experiences.