ABOUT US

The Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD

(Children’s Cancer Help Organisation for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland)

Every year more than 350 children and teenager in Austria are diagnosed with cancer. Although eight out of ten children recover due to latest medical care, the disease scars affected people but also their family members. In 1986 the Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD was founded by affected mothers and fathers to support children and teenager, who suffer from cancer. This parents‘ initiative was the first initiative of its sort. Due to the foundation of the Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD, the research insitute St. Anna Kinderspital and the Austrian Cancer Help Organisation arose.

In close cooperation with the St. Anna Childrens’s Hospital and the AKH Children’s Clinic the Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD has already provided numerous projects. Our help approaches day hospitals, casualty departments as well as affected people in their domestic environment unbureaucratically and first-hand, focused on Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland.

The Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD finances itself and its projects with donations, support by enterprises, subscriptions, fundraiser and to a small extent of sponsorship by the public authorities.

The Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD carries out the following tasks to represent the interests of affected families:

Information and advice for affected families and
Financing of health care professionals in St. Anna Childrens’s Hospital and the AKH Children’s Clinic

Above that, the Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD offers a wide range of services for cancer patients and relatives:

For cancer patients

Tutoring project „Lernblitz“

Since 1994 volunteers help children and their siblings at home to keep up with subject matter.

Equestrian therapy

To help the little patients to build more self-confidence and to experience a feeling of security and comfort that helps them cope with their illness.

Music and Art therapy

Helps to express anxietes and feelings through Music an Arts and to escape from daily therapy routine. The therapy is a consistent element at the oncologic wards of the St. Anna Kinderspital.

European Computer Driving Licence

Starting at the age of 12 youths have the opportunity to get the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) for free. The Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD focuses its attention to the time after the disease and finances a mobile tutor. Depending on the patients‘ health condition, lessons take place a the hospital or at home.

For relatives

Parental conversation

Affected parents have the opportunity to visit group disscussions in the St. Anna Childrens’s Hospital or the AKH Children’s Clinic periodically. These discussion sessions help parents and serve as a plattform to exchange their concerns, fears and other burdens.

Assistance by social workers

When a child is diagnosed with cancer it is necessary to act quickly. Due to the long treatment duration at least one parent is required to take a period of rest, which leads to a fall of income . Persons concerned get professional help by social workers in the St. Anna Childrens’s Hospital and the AKH Children’s Clinic, i.e. in the assertion of state transfer payments or organisation of home support. The posts of the social workers are financed by the Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD.

Care for siblings

Siblings of children with cancer have an important role in the family. Due to the disease they have to cut back, suffer from loneliness and have to take a lot of responsibility. This situation often causes fear and grief, anger, envy or jealousy. This special group for siblings is dedicated to children at the age between six and fifteen years and functions as a place, where they can talk about their feelings, play with other children and enjoy just being a kid. In summer holidays special camps offer siblings to spend days with sports, playing and discussion sessions.

At home

EOP: External oncologic nursing service

Chemotherapy and other forms of therapy demands on the condition of young patients, who are so weakened that even harmless viruses danger them. External oncologic nursing service spares them the tiresome way to the hospital and help them with great dedication at home. Qualified pediatric nurses are specially trained in palliative care. They change dressings, take blood samples, care for catheters, ease the pain and relieves children and their family from exorbitant burden. The Kinder-Krebshilfe WIEN-NÖ-BGLD even finances telephone costs and travel expenses.

MPD: Mobile psychological care

This project is unique in Austria and improves the psychological status of parents and children. Besides the physical signs, intensive and long therapy also strains the mind of parents and children. Specially trained psychologists assist cancer patients as well as their families and siblings at home during their exhausting time of therapy. Parents who have lost their children get special help to cope with their sorrow and get back to their normal daily routine. Mobile psychological care is being offered at the oncologic wards at the St. Anna Childrens’s Hospital and the AKH Children’s Clinic, but also at the paediatric neuro-oncology of the AKH.