Software Donations Help Activists Fight Cancer
Cancer is a major public health problem in Romania and the second largest cause of death among children and youth aged 4 to 15 years. Each year, 500 children are diagnosed with cancer, and 5,000 children and young people are under medical observation.
Ignorance, lack of public information, and the limited involvement of authorities can be blamed for late diagnosis of the disease. For many people, being diagnosed with cancer is equivalent to being sentenced to death. "Early diagnosis is essential for healing, and this is medical proof," said Olga Cridland, the president of PAVEL Association, a nonprofit organization of parents with children diagnosed with cancer. "Eighty percent of cancerous tumors diagnosed early in children can be cured." PAVEL Association has benefited 400 cancer patients aged 1 to 26 and their families.
One of the organization's most important projects is the School from Hospital, which serves patients who have had to stop or abandon school. The program offers an educational curriculum adapted to children and young people who are hospitalized. Patients can learn math, history, biology, or geography and also learn to use the Internet. Their parents participate in special therapy sessions. More than 200 have joined the program.
Aside from working with hospitalized children, a large part of the organization's work takes place online. TechSoup Romania provided it with reliable technology for keeping up with donors and partners.
"Because of these donations, our financial efforts for accessing the right technology were diminished. The products were used to equip two computers in the playroom for kids and one laptop," explained Cridland. She added that receiving software donations from TechSoup Romania helps the organization save money and redirect it toward helping children.
"Considering the variety and complexity of programs and services we run, for many beneficiaries, without proper technology, the team's work would be harder. That is why we really appreciate Microsoft donations for being extremely useful and precious for our organization and the good run of our programs," she concluded.
