The Castilla-La Mancha Association of Children and Families with Cancer (Afanion) held a celebration this Friday evening at the Finca Los Rabaderos de Rojas. II Charity Galaan event where several awards were awarded. … honorific language for Dr. Maria Velasco, the first oncologist to begin researching childhood cancer at the former Toledo Hospital.
“This is a reference and a most emotional recognition for Afanion, especially for the Toledo and Ciudad Real families,” said Afanion President Juan García Guarda and Vice President Yolanda Fernández, respectively, before the start of the celebrations. The celebration was attended by 180 people, including Toledo State Council President Concepción Cedillo. Carolina Agudo, Regional Secretary of PP; Senator Israel Peres. Jaime David Corregidor, state representative of the Ministry of Health, and Toledo city councilors Marisol Illescas and Laura Villacañas.
The town of Poran (Toledo) was also recognized, where the activities of the Society have been organized for many years. CEIP “San Juan Evangelista” of Sonseca (Toledo) has been organizing races in support of Afanion since 2017. The Les Toledo Group (Hotels and Attractive Spaces in the Historic Center of Toledo) and the Toledo City Council Social Department, which always cooperate in the activities of the association.
«Our association owes much to the Association of Castile-La Mancha, who pushed and encouraged us. García Guarda also thanked companies, organizations, towns, workers and volunteers for the work they have done over the years to make Afanion the reference organization in the fight against childhood cancer in Castilla-La Mancha for the first time in 30 years.
Some of Afanion’s projects include: Survivor counselingbecause 25 years ago there were other treatments, and the results are now showing. The association aims to follow up survivors and carry out tests for people who have had cancer and whose bones, heart, hearing and vision have been affected by highly invasive treatments.
They are also holding a meeting with the Castilla-La Mancha Health Authority (Sescam) in view of the recurrence of the disease in some patients who did not have the original cancer. “We want to raise the alarm so that it is known that they are not being treated for cancer for the first time, but have already undergone several treatments before. In some cases, when they are discharged from the hospital after five years, there is no further follow-up,” explained Yolanda Fernandez.
Regarding pediatric palliative care, one of the requests, Sescam has already started implementing it, with a team of doctors and nurses in each department of Castilla-La Mancha, providing services from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is currently open from Monday to Friday, but the agency recognizes that it needs to be expanded because “children cannot decide for themselves the hours and days of the week when they need palliative care.” Afanion works with psychologists and social workers to address these needs.
Afanion has three offices in Castilla-La Mancha: Ciudad Real, Albacete (also covering Cuenca) and Toledo. We have over 600 members and over 400 partners.
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