Foundation Gold
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : f******2@g***l.c*m
Mission Statement
Gold Foundation is a non-profit organization for public benefit, registered in Bulgaria. It is created to upgrade and maintain a good level of treatment and care for children with cancer in Bulgaria and their families. Our main goal is to be in direct support of the Children's Clinical Oncology and Haematology Centre in Sofia. The organization has a special focus on long-term survivors and their follow-up care. Our mission is: • to provide direct support to children and families in the hospital during their treatment • to improve the conditions of treatment and care in the hospital environment • to support the medical staff to improve their working conditions • to protect patients' rights • to observe and initiate changes in legislation concerning treatment, care, social support and quality of life of children, families and survivors • building a well-functioning structure for follow-up long-term care for all children, adolescents and young people who have passed through the disease Childhood cancer is still the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in developed countries, the second leading cause of death among 5-14 year olds. The good news, however, is that most childhood cancers can be cured with available drugs and other forms of treatment, such as surgery and radiation therapy. Every year more than 35,000 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer in Europe and more than 6,000 young patients die as a result of the disease. According to data from national registries of EU member states, there are currently over half a million young people who have survived childhood cancer in Europe, and the trend is that by 2030 they will exceed 750,000. Over two thirds of them experience long-term health and psychosocial problems because of their illness and treatment, which may be severe and affect their daily life and participation as EU citizens. Childhood malignancies have a very good prognosis for treatment, and in developed countries, successful cure rates reach over 80% with standard multidisciplinary care and current intensive treatments that have been developed and validated by the pediatric oncology community over the past 50 years. Our team provids psychosocial support to every newly diagnosed child and his family. It takes him through the havy path of treatment until its completion and subsequent resocialization. Provides additional assistance when needed - research expedition, shopping, procurement of missing consumables, etc. The team co-authored a Handbook for psychosocial support of patients with malignant diseases, parents and relatives. Gold Foundation is a full member of Childhood Cancer International - CCIq a huge NGO dedicated to provide better conditions for treatment and care of children with cancer and to improve the quality of life of survivors, its European branch CCI Europe. We participate in international working groups, together with pediatric oncologists, who work hard to overcome the differences in the different regions of Europe. The main goal is for every child to receive the best treatment and care, regardless of which country they live in.
About This Cause
Gold Foundation in working in 3 main arias: On site in the hospital room, we provide: Psychosocial Support - Providing support from the moment of diagnosis throughout the treatment journey. - Serving as mediators between child-patient, parents, and the medical team. - Addressing questions related to treatment, lifestyle adjustments, nutrition, and available social opportunities. - Offering educational support, allowing children to engage in learning activities during extended hospital stays. Logistical Coordination - Organising transportation of research to laboratories beyond the hospital's territory, ensuring necessary tests are conducted seamlessly. Financial Assistance - Collaborating with the medical team by covering the costs of histological and genetic tests when a second opinion or a more comprehensive diagnostic panel is required. - Fundraising for the purchase of consumables, equipment, and improvement of living conditions and material resources. psychosocial support from the moment of diagnosis and throughout the course of treatment. - Providing such vital support contributes significantly to the resilience and well-being of children and their families, creating a positive impact on their overall health and well-being. A partnership with the medical team creates resilience and emphasizes the importance of a collaborative approach in the overall holistic care process Summer camps are part of follow-up psychosocial care. They play a crucial role in the overall recovery of children who have faced a serious illness. Two camps are organized - for children up to 10 years old with mothers and siblings, and for children and youth over 10 years old. What is the purpose of this initiative? Celebrating life - The camps serve as a celebration of overcoming illness and limitations. - Coping with past experiences - Clearly aware of the importance of releasing accumulated pain and despair, the camps provide a space for emotional release and the creation of mental comfort. Providing a calm and safe environment, the camps encourage open communication, break down barriers and allow participants to share their problems, fears, anxieties, and dreams. Activating resources - Summer camps play an extremely important role in venting accumulated pain and despair, in gathering resources to deal with difficult situations. The greatest victory for any child who has overcome illness is to believe that he is a hero and not an outsider, to know that he is not alone and that the best is yet to come. - Shared joy and laughter and community building - Emphasizing the therapeutic value of shared experiences, participants have the opportunity to talk, laugh together, enjoy joint activities and search for a path to happiness. Effective community building environments are created for children, youth, and their parents. This sense of community helps overcome feelings of isolation. The best medicine for the soul is to share with a brother by fate, laugh at adversity and look for a path to happiness together. Learning coping strategies - The interactions during the camps offer an opportunity to learn ways to deal with emotional and psychological crises, contributing to better mental health. Acquiring coping strategies has a positive impact not only on self-esteem, but also on academic achievement, career choices, and overall success in life. - The camps are absolutely free so that we guarantee access to everyone, without any financial commitment to the families, because we believe that everyone who has gone through the thorny path should be supported in the best possible way The camps are truly a beacon of hope and resilience! A Daily center for children with oncological diseases is about to be opened on the territory of the hospital. Our goal is to create a Day Center for children with cancer, as a licensed social service. Children and their families will receive psychosocial support during the difficult cancer journey, maintaince therapy and the subsequent need for resocialization. Accessibility - The strategic location of the Center near hospital ward provides easy access for children, patients of the clinic and their parents. Licensed social service - As a licensed social service emphasizes the commitment to providing structured and professional psychosocial support, consistent with the requirements for the quality of social services, which guarantees a high level of professionalism. - A dedicated space that meets the needs of children of different age groups - The center will have a relaxation room, a play therapy room and an art workshop, and an overall space for parents and children to relax, share and meet. - Haven during social isolation - The specificity of the treatment requires a period of nearly two years, in which both the children and the whole family must limit their social contacts in order to protect the life of the sick child. During this period, children need to play with peers, build certain social skills, ventilate what is happening through the game, receive support with educational material. Mothers need a safe space where they can safely talk about the disease and its challenges, as well as anything that worries them. The center is designed to provide ongoing support for children and families, addressing the unique social and emotional needs that arise during this time. Play as a social interaction - Emphasizing the importance of play in children's development, the center facilitates opportunities for social interaction, peer play and skill building in a supportive environment. No matter what they go through, kids are still kids. The magic of childhood is expressed in the ability to see and experience every moment as an adventure and an opportunity to discover. Thus, the wait passes imperceptibly, the pain is forgotten more quickly, and the smiles warm us. Education - Considering the educational needs of children during treatment, the center provides support with educational materials and activities, ensuring that academic development will not be compromised. Mothers' Safe Space - Offering a safe space for mothers to openly discuss the challenges of the disease and express their concerns is an integral part of the centre's approach. Inclusion - The center aims to accommodate all children and parents in need of support, promoting inclusion and ensuring that no family feels isolated during their challenging journey - The creation of this day care center reflects a compassionate and holistic approach to pediatric oncology care, with the well-being of both the child and the entire family as a priority. We are guardians of childhood!