SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 7 Feb (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Astrid Pérez, kicked off the ‘Day against Cancer’ at the Europa Room, advocating for the proactive approach to tackling cancer through “prevention, early diagnosis, scientific research, healthy lifestyle habits, and adequate health, psychological and social care.
This interdisciplinary event centered on emphasizing the significance of prevention and accurate information.
Pérez emphasized that cancer “compels us to confront changes in all aspects of life, from the physical and psychological to family organization, career, or economic planning.”
According to her, “this illness is a seismic event that disrupts the lives of those affected and their families, making it essential for us as a society to provide more tools, resources, and support.”
Dr. Francisco Rodríguez Lozano, a cancer survivor and President of the Cancer Patients Europe Association in Brussels, delivered the first presentation, outlining some strides in cancer research, such as genomic tests to “clearly identify the type of cancer that each patient has and customize treatments to minimize side effects.
He believes that “the future lies in precision medicine and immunotherapies, such as Car-T therapies, which involve genetically modifying T lymphocytes in the patient’s blood to attack cancer cells.” “.
Rodríguez Lozano cautioned that the Canary Islands have seen the most significant increase in cancer cases amongst the autonomous communities, which “is concerning and must be considered, particularly regarding prevention and early detection.”
He went on to stress that “tobacco is the cause of 1 in 3 cancers, and 22% of cancer-related deaths.”
Alicia Toimil, a mother of a cancer-stricken girl, reiterated the importance of early diagnosis and the need to increase support for families.
“Initially, everything seems to collapse, but one must react and seek advice and guidance from professionals. If in doubt, one should consult doctors rather than seek information on the Internet,” she stated.
Fabiana Walo Toimil, who battled cancer at the age of 12 and is now 15, acknowledged that “I sensed something was wrong, but I didn’t expect it to be as it turned out.”
Despite her young age, she faced it “with humor and composure,” and ended up being “the pillar of strength for the family.” This young lady also urged doctors to explain “the illness, treatments, and side effects in a way that children can understand.”
EMPHASIZING PATIENT-CENTRIC CARE
Cristina Concepción de la Rosa, the patient care coordinator of the Spanish Association against Cancer in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, advocated for “placing the patient at the core”, elucidating the importance of the services provided by the associations in this multidisciplinary challenge. She particularly highlighted the vital role of volunteers in fundamental aspects such as support and companionship.
Carmen María Martín Delgado, Amate psychologist; Juana Oramas, head of the Medical Oncology service at the Canary Islands University Hospital; María Pilar Parrado, social worker at the Alejandro Da Silva Foundation, and María del Carmen García Luis, Amate volunteer, participated in the panel discussion that concluded the day, as per the Parliament’s release.
Oramas asserted that oncology today is “considerably more promising than in the 1980s”, due to the increased survival rates, the chronic nature of numerous cases, and the role of associations and foundations, “which address issues not guaranteed by the public system”.
The discussion shed light on the role of volunteering and its positive impact on both those who engage in it and those who benefit from it, as well as the significance of comprehensive psychosocial care.
Dr. Juana Oramas concluded by advocating for primary prevention to avert, for instance, “80% of lung cancer cases which link back to tobacco,” and cautioned about the adverse effects of “misinformation, superstitions, and pseudoscience”.
