APCOM

Join hands with the tumour patient, helping him to know hospital' structures and not to feel alone facing sickness. This is the main objective of the project "Healing together", made by the oncologist ward of San Carlo's Hospital in Milano. This is the first pilot project created to humanise oncology in Italy. In two years, the project will involve 30 hospitals all over the country. This year it will be adopted in Piemonte, Puglia, Calabria, Trentino and Toscana. "Healing Together" is an initiative that directly involves the patients: in San Carlo hospital 90% of them appreciated the new project.

But what are most important patients' requests? According to a investigation made by San Carlo hospital, they ask very often not to be left alone: they would like to be guided, know where to go or a number to call in case of need, more coloured hospitals and less bureaucracy to face with. Young people want to know if they're going to lose their job because of the tumour, or future possibility after the sickness.

"Healing together" team in San Carlo also created a regional project, containing some guide lines to improve Humanization in hospitals. The team will create new projects to help terminal patients and their families too. The Medical Oncology Complex Operative Unit (Unità Operativa Complessa di Oncologia Medica) in San Carlo was born 40 years ago to help patient and family in tumour's diagnosis and healing. The Hospital Humanising Project and Educative-Psychological Service, was created in this structure, to face psychological and social needs, linked with sickness and life changes.