70 YEARS OF ACTIVITY For Cancer Patients

Israel Cancer Association // Annual Report 2022

social contribution of the activity. The project runs from September to June. MSW Dahlia Stern is the national coordinator of the project, which is supervised and professionally advised by the ICA’s regional social workers: Dana Rechavi-Heller , Central District, Miri Mor-Yosef , Southern District, Ariela Shouva , Northern District, and Hodaya Wolf in Jerusalem. They train and supervise the students throughout the year based on their area of residence. Linda Yadai aides them in the assignment and administrative process. Nationwide Counseling, Guidance and Support for Children with Brain Tumors The ICA neuro-psychological service focuses on child cancer patients with brain damage. Most cases involve children who were diagnosed with brain tumors, followed by neurosurgery along with chemotherapy and radiation. The purpose of this service is to help the recovering children reintegrate into family life, social scene and routine, even when the communication with the hospital is interrupted or is not regular due to the child’s recovery. The service includes neuropsychological diagnoses, initial rehabilitative program, a liaison to the educational institution, parental training, and therapy sessions for children, working with all sectors in Israel in a mindful approach to language and culture. This year, the service was expanded for children with leukemia who receive aggressive chemotherapy which affects brain development processes. About 60 children participated in the project during the year. Dr. Michelle Sadeh (PhD), a rehabilitation psychologist specializing in neuro-psycho-oncology, who coordinates this service along with two rehabilitation psychology interns and two psychology students. The service is recognized by the Ministry of Health for specialization in rehabilitation psychology. This service is made possible thanks to ICA’s collaborations with medical centers across the country with pediatric oncology units.

Social and Scholastic Support Scholarship students who are part of the Israel Cancer Association’s support array help cancer patients who live on their own, children diagnosed with cancer, healthy children who have a parent coping with cancer, and healthy siblings of a child with cancer, or volunteer in cancer units across Israel. The project recruits students who are members of the IMPACT! and SHAHAK programs as well as the HESEG Foundation. This year, about 50 students participated through IMPACT, about 20 from SHAHAK and 10 students from HESEG. In addition to the personal connection with the student throughout the year, two group meetings are held in each of the three regions, giving the volunteers a chance to share their experiences, doubts, difficulties, sense of satisfaction, and personal and

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