Israel Cancer Association - Annual Report 2024

Linda Yadai , the project's coordinator, aids them in the assignment and administrative process and is communicating with the parents and scholarship recipients. 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, their social scene and routine, even when communication with the hospital is interrupted or is not continuous due to the child's recovery. The service includes full neuropsychological evaluations, initial rehabilitative program, liaison to the educational institution, parental training, and therapy sessions for the children, and work with all population sectors in Israel in a mindful approach to language and culture. The service also caters to children with leukemia who receive aggressive chemotherapy which affects brain development processes. About 90 children received individual and family counseling, evaluations, training for their school teams and the community during the year. Dr. Michelle Sadeh (PhD) , an expert rehabilitation psychologist specializing in neuro-psycho-oncology, coordinates the service along rehabilitation psychologist Moran Har Even and three rehabilitation psychology interns. The service is recognized by the Ministry of Health for specialization in rehabilitation psychology. The service is made possible thanks to a collaboration between the ICA and medical centers with pediatric oncology units across the country. ‘Give Kids the World’ Project Honoring the Memory of the Late Miri Sheetrit As part of this project, families who have a child with advanced-stage cancer are invited for a week to the Give Kids the World village in Orlando FL.

nestled in the Jerusalem Mountains, for three days of fun, rest, and respite from the disease and treatments, allowing them to rejuvenate and gather strength to continue facing the long, complex trajectory ahead. During the vacation, the children and their families enjoyed live shows, fire acts, table games, Gymboree, a fountain pool and a swimming pool.

Social and Scholastic Support Scholarship students who are part of ICA’s support array help solitary cancer patients, children diagnosed with cancer, healthy children of a parent coping with cancer, and healthy siblings of a child with cancer. They also volunteer in various oncology units across Israel. The project recruits students who are members of the IMPACT! and SHAHAK programs as well as the HESEG F oundation . This year, about 62 students participated from IMPACT , about 20 from SHAHAK and 10 students from HESEG . In addition to personal connection with the students throughout the year, two group meetings are held in each one of the regions, giving the volunteers a chance to share their experiences, doubts, difficulties, sense of satisfaction, and the personal and social benefit of the project. The project runs from September to June each year. MSW Dahlia Stern is the national coordinator of the project, which is supervised and professionally advised by ICA’s regional social workers: Dana Rechavi-Heller , Central District, Miri Mor-Yosef , Southern District, and Ariela Shouva , Northern District, who train and supervise the students throughout the year based on their area of residence.

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