Children’s rights Protection and Advocacy

Systemic changes are always tricky, time-consuming, and expensive to pursue and fulfill — even more so during a full-scale war. However, high-quality treatment is impossible in the long run without comprehensive support for pediatric oncology centers and oncology departments, the professional development of medical professionals, and the protection of children’s rights.

As experts in pediatric oncology and coordinators of family needs, the Foundation represents the interests of families affected by childhood cancer at the state level and protects their rights. Together with public and charitable organizations, authorities, the medical community, lawyers, and other partners Tabletochki strives to improve the quality of cancer treatment for children in Ukraine.

The Foundation is a member of the Ministry of Health childhood cancer working groups.

Specifically:

– the centralized procurement group;

– the medical standards group;

– the National Cancer Control Plan development group;

– the cancer service delivery optimization group.

Here are some significant achievements during the Foundation’s work:

– The Ministry of Health has signed an order to open intensive care units to family visits;

– The Ministry of Health has expanded the range of medicines purchased from the state budget funds under the Pediatric Oncology Program;

– The budget for foreign treatment of Ukrainians by 2020 has increased in 22 times compared to 2014;

– Together with Ohmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital, the Ministry of Health, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the charity foundation «Ukrainian Bone Marrow Donor Registry», and other partners, we launched Ukraine bone marrow transplants from unrelated donors;

– Together with the Ministry of Health, Tabletochki conducted certification of the children’s oncology service, including an audit of hospital beds and their capacities, the availability of medical equipment to optimize the work of hospitals, and the development of a patient route;

– The Foundation’s experts implemented sections on pediatric oncology in the National Cancer Control Strategy until 2030 and the Operational Plan for its implementation. For the first time in Ukraine, the National Strategy takes into account the needs of children with cancer;

– The specialties «pediatric oncologist» and «pediatric hematologist» are now combined in Ukraine, aligning with countries with high survival rates of children with cancer and blood diseases;

– Together with patient organizations, we helped purchase the expensive life-saving drug Erwinase at public expense.

Since 2013, all the work of the Foundation in children’s rights protection pro bono has been supported by the law firm Asters.

In the fight against childhood cancer, Tabletochki also has the support of the international community. The Foundation is a member of several reputable associations and cooperates with the world’s best children’s hospitals:

– St. Jude — is a research hospital in the United States that has made children’s cancer curable in the 20th century;

– SickKids — is Canada’s leading hospital for children with severe diseases;

– Princess Máxima Center — the largest children’s oncology center in Europe with the highest quality treatment for children;

– King Hussein Cancer Center — is a leading hospital in Jordan and the Middle East for adults and children with cancer;

– Childhood Cancer International is the world’s largest association of non-governmental organizations and patient communities fighting cancer;

– International Society of Pediatric Oncology — medical association that is dedicated to increasing knowledge about childhood cancer;

– St.Jude Global Alliance — unites 180 specialists and institutions from 68 countries working to improve the quality of medical care and increase the survival rate of children with cancer and blood diseases.