The Puttinu Cares Children’s Cancer Support Group is organizing another football marathon which is going to be held at the Marsa Sports Complex between 10am Friday 24th and 10pm Sunday 26th April. This year’s main theme will concentrate on “Treating Each Patient with Dignity.”
I was inspired to adopt this theme because my experience have clearly shown me that by enabling the patients to keep their dignity in the face of such a cruel disease they will also have the courage and moral strength to fight it. This will result in less suffering for the patient and his family.
As nurses we have a professional duty to respect the dignity of patients and this year’s marathon aims to concentrate on what the patient and his family feel when treated with respect. The marathon will therefore focus on how important the behaviour and attitude of the caring profession towards the patient and his family is in helping them keep their dignity in the face of a devastating disease. Of course it is not an easy task, nevertheless I am proud to say, and at the same time very fortunate, to work with a team of professionals that truly believe that kindness, humanity and respect are the core values of patient care. Together we make an effort to work hard to cure every patient without ever losing sight of the patient’s dignity. This is immediately appreciated by the patient and his or her family and as a consequence they face their disease with courage and determination for a brighter future.
Restoring dignity to the patient involves much more work than just giving medical treatment. At Rainbow Ward, the consultant and the team of doctors dedicate a lot of time to discussing the disease and treatment options and effects with the patient and his family. They work hard to allay their fears, doubts and anxieties about the disease and its treatment. The doctors deliver the best conventional treatment available for that type of cancer and also make sure that the patient’s discomfort is minimized. They are also very aware of the various problems that can crop up during the patient’s treatment; e.g. infection, nausea and vomiting, change in bowel habits, pain, and complaints of a psychological nature. These problems can have a negative effect on the patient’s dignity and therefore they are dealt with quickly and in good time by the medical team.
I am also fortunate to be part of Puttinu Cares that selflessly works hard to improve the quality of life of patients with cancer. Our constant aim is to find ways how to make each day a better day for the children and their families. We have therefore altered the environment on Rainbow Ward so that the patients and their families can truly say that the ward looks and feels more like a second home than a hospital ward. Puttinu Cares works hard to improve the quality of life for patients by organizing a BBQ in summer and a Xmas Party where each child is given a beautiful gift. These events as well as the annual football marathon help to bring the new and old patients and their families together. These activities give the children and their families the opportunity to relax and feel that they are part of a big loving family. Puttinu Cares with the help of various generous organizations sponsor weekend breaks, holidays to Euro Disney and other holiday resorts for the family in Europe and a pilgrimage to Lourdes. These events all help to minimize the hardships of these families and at the same time help to draw public attention and increase the general public’s awareness of the problems these families go through because of cancer. In my role as the main event organizer for Puttinu Cares I have been fortunate to meet many generous volunteers and sponsors whose main aim was to find ways to make a difference in the lives of these children. None of the above would be possible without the generous help of these people and I would like to thank them not only in the name of Puttinu Cares but also in the name of the families that they help to bring so much joy to.
However our biggest ambition so far has been the purchase of three apartments in Sutton that serve as free accommodation to patients who need special treatment abroad. Living in a foreign country away from the support of the whole family and the Maltese community brings a lot of hardships to the family that can easily result in loss of dignity. The financial and emotional burdens on the families are tremendous. Puttinu Cares has therefore embarked on ways to reduce most of the financial burden that these families face when away from home and this was the main reason for buying the apartments. Puttinu Cares through the generous support of the Maltese people is paying for the expenses related to these apartments. This show of solidarity by the Maltese community is helping to save the dignity of these patients and their families.
This year’s football marathon is therefore geared to help generate more funds that will be used by Puttinu Cares to pay for these apartments and for the other initiatives. We are working hard so that the marathon will be an activity full of fun and excitement for all the family. From the 24th to the 26th April, we are turning this sixty hour football marathon into a non-stop spectacle of entertainment for the whole family. The team coordinating the football matches will be handling five hundred football teams, a record for Malta. During the day (10am – 6pm) the animation team has prepared a three day programme which is jam-packed with excitement for the children. The entertainment team is working hard to put together a programme which will fill the evening with singing and dancing. During this time there will be many well-known personalities who with their vast talent will contribute to the success of this year’s marathon. Arrangements are also being made for a live transmission on all the television stations so that the viewing public will still be able to give a donation to Puttinu Cares and will also see for themselves the realities of childhood cancer.
I praise the Lord for blessing us with so much providence and also with so many extraordinary families who with their experience continue to teach us what real love for their children is. In spite of the pain and suffering they have shown us what real courage, love and providence is.
Rennie Zerafa
Activity Coordinator
rennie.zerafa@gov.mt
