A heart for the little ones

Around 2,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. Leukemia, brain tumours and neuroblastomas are the most common cancers. In order to be able to support the affected families during this difficult time, the non-profit “Förderverein für Krebskrankke Kinder Tübingen e.V.” was founded. The association was founded from a group of parents and has now grown to a large number of members. The association, which is financed primarily by donations, has set itself the task of providing psychological and financial support to those affected.

In addition to the severe side effects of the treatment, the long hospital stays and the associated separation from the family are usually very stressful for the sick children. The therapies often do not take place close to home and health insurance companies only cover part of the family's accommodation and travel expenses. In order to relieve families financially and to relieve them of their concerns about accommodation, the Friends Association maintains a parents' house and a family home near the University Children's Hospital in Tübingen. Here, parents and relatives can be close to the children during in-patient treatment. They can also establish contacts with other affected people. Home care workers and psychologists are also available to advise and support families during difficult times.

As with adults, the sick children are treated with chemotherapy or a stem cell transplant. Both treatments have serious side effects. Therefore, additional therapies with alternative healing methods are often necessary so that not only is the disease defeated, but the body also recovers from the exhausting treatment. However, the supplementary therapies are not covered by health insurance companies. The Friends Association is committed to ensuring that the University Children's Hospital provides information about these offers and that parents receive competent advice. The advice is also very important because there are sometimes many dubious and even dangerous offers on the Internet.

In addition, the association finances and organizes a mentoring program, children and youth holidays for sick and already cured patients, as well as sports and cooking courses during therapy and provides medical and scientific support for all offers.

The association is also involved in cancer research and promotes research to further develop treatment therapies. For example, in 2016, a research device to produce killer cells for leukemia therapy was financed at the Tübingen Children's Hospital.

To support the association and its important work, IP Dynamics donated 5,000 euros as part of its annual Christmas donation. Further information is available at the webpage of the association.