Pediatric onco-hematology

Nearly one child in 450 develops cancer each year in France, or 2,500 patients under the age of 18 per year. More than 80% of them will recover thanks to specific treatments. These take place in specialized departments such as the pediatric onco-hematology department at Caen University Hospital. We welcome children from the Western Normandy region (Calvados, Manche and Orne) as well as children from other regions (Pays de la Loire, Normandy, Brittany, and beyond) to receive proton therapy (a particular radiotherapy technique existing in only 3 centers in France) .

The Pediatric Onco-haemato-immunology department of Caen University Hospital takes care of children and adolescents, from 0 to 18 years old, for:

• Cancers and leukemias which are cancers of the blood,
• Certain benign tumors
• Bone marrow aplasia,
• Blood diseases called "benign", non-cancerous, such as abnormalities of the red blood cell (sickle cell anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, etc.) , platelets (immunological thrombocytopenic purpura, etc.),
• (after certain medications, infection, removal of the spleen, etc.) or primary (genetic) immune deficiencies .

The service includes 11 beds, 5 of which are in a so-called “protected” sector and a day hospitalization sector with 4 beds. Patients are referred mainly by their attending physician after direct telephone agreement, but also by local hospitals and pediatric emergencies.

A parents' association called CADET ROUSSEL (Tel.: 02 33 97 43 85 ) intervenes regularly to help children and their families. It finances numerous actions, including the “croissant café” which allows parents, once a week, to meet with volunteers trained in active listening.

The association also allows the intervention of a storyteller, a musician, a physical activity educator and a socio-aesthetician.

A house of families located 5 minutes walk from the CHU, managed by this association, is available to families, facilitating the stay of those living far from Caen.

Various associations: Cadet Roussel , Les Fées Papillons , etc. offer, in addition, various activities: places for shows at the Zénith or at the Stade Malherbe in Caen (football) , boat trips and meetings of children treated for about ten years and their families on the occasion of the Christmas party, shows in the service, etc.

The hardship of often repeated hospitalizations is mitigated by the intervention of an educator of young children who makes the children play and makes them practice various activities. A teacher is also involved in the service for hospitalized children. It takes over from the usual schooling at school or home schooling set up when school attendance is impossible.

As part of the care sectors, when the family has to move for care (marrow allograft in Rennes or Rouen for example) , a family support system also exists at the national level, in collaboration with social workers SFCE centers via U-Link .