Children's Oncology Dispensary in Balashikha

On January 4th we visited the children of Moscow regional Oncology Dispensary at Balashikha with presents including musical toys for the youngest children, toys from toy company «Neverland», constructors (planes, lego toys), puzzles, painting and drawing sets and other things.

Our visit came as a surprise for the children, because they have already been given presents before the 1st of January, and no one expected that the holidays could last longer! The children were delighted with constructors and other toys, while the youngest ones took to the bright musical toys. We also brought playstation PSP. The small patients started at once to open up boxes and working on constructors and other toys. Right in front of our eyes 7 year old Andrey made a plane from a set of cardboard strips. We were leaving, and the smiling kids were waving us good-buy with the small hands of the puppets they got for the doll theatre. The New Year holidays were not over!

Department of children's oncology of the Balashikha Regional Oncology Dispensary needs help in fitting out an ambulance-ward and in purchasing medicaments that neutralize by-effects of chemotherapy. Nowadays medical treatment of cancer has become so effective that up to 80 percent of sick children can be cured, even when the diagnosis is as grave as lymphoblastomic leukemia and osteogenous sarcoma.

However not every hospital, even if it is of regional value, actually can provide children who have cancer with everything they need to get well. The child's right to live is not secured just because the hospital doesn't have the resources to buy all the necessary equipment and medications. This is also the case at the children's department of Balashikha Regional Oncology Dispensary.

The staff at the dispensary are well-trained, the doctors not only treat patients with cancer, but design special rehabilitation programs for children and teenagers, they fight for each child.

The department has an ambulance-ward, a room where children can receive chemotherapy treatment during the day, and then go home. This scheme has proved good for children psychologically, and relieving for the overcrowded hospital. But the hospital has no means to fit out a second ambulance-ward with necessary equipment: bed-side tables, fridge, bookshelves, a video player and a special device for medications — perfusor.

The department also needs permanent support to purchase expensive medications, diapers, sanitary urological towels, needles, band-aids and catheters — everything that is required for full-cycle treatment of each child. Vital medications for the children's department cost about $5,400 a month.

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