It has exceeded 100 thousand signatures and the adhesions do not show signs of stopping: the campaign for the right to be forgotten oncologylaunched by Aiom Foundation in January, it gave outstanding results and hit the target overnight. The petition – AIOM announces – will be delivered to the next Prime Minister and the head of state Mattarella to request a law capable of protecting former cancer patients.
Today there are over a million people cured of a tumor in Italy: for many of them, however, the recovery is only in the medical record, while at the bureaucratic level they continue to be considered sick., with discrimination in accessing services such as taking out insurance and mortgages, difficulties in the processes of adoption and hiring at work. The law would allow Italy to follow the virtuous example of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland and Portugal, which already protect their citizens with a dedicated law.
The communication campaign, which saw the birth of the portal rightallobliotumori.org for the collection of signatures, intense social activities with the launch of a challenge, the hashtag #iononthis myotumor and the distribution of brochures, was enriched by a great event in Pescara, the first non-competitive walk for the right to oncological oblivion, which was attended by more than 400 people. On Sunday 23 October the initiative, open to all, will be repeated in Modena. The extraordinary results were presented in Rome, on the occasion of the Aiom preconvention day.
“Today, thanks to technological innovation and the incredible results of scientific research, 3.6 million people live after a diagnosis of cancerand – he explains Giordano Beretta, president of the Aiom Foundation -. This is why it has become essential to allow patients, especially the younger ones, to enjoy a free and complete life after the end of treatment. Many of them – continues Beretta – suffer significant discrimination, before which we can no longer close our eyes. We are incredibly satisfied with the result achieved with this campaign: many have contacted us anonymously to tell us their stories as former patients, but we have also been surrounded by the great affection of family, friends and caregivers. What amazed us, however, was the closeness of those who have never been sick or follow people under treatment, but have heard of this situation and wanted to leave their signature to support an important, social battle, which personally affects many Italians every day”.
“Now that we have reached the goal, we can’t wait to celebrate it – underlines Beretta – with the thousands of people who have supported us. We were aware that we could carry out this campaign, but we never expected such support. now in the new Parliament an ethics and civilization law “.
“The great advances in research allow us to give patients many years of life, which they deserve to be able to enjoy freely – points out Saverio Cinieri, president Aiom -. We can no longer allow the quality of this time to be reduced due to bureaucratic constraints. We ask that, after 10 years from the end of the treatment for adult cancers and after 5 for those of the pediatric age, we can be considered cured not only clinically but also for society. It is an important battle that we are proud to support. Now that the 100,000 signatures have been collected, we just have to ask for the law to be enacted “.
“The first non-competitive walk for the right to oncological oblivion was created to physically bring together many of the patients, former patients, friends, family, caregivers and simple supporters who supported the campaign“, he remarks Angela Toss, researcher at the Oncological Genetics Unit of the University of Modena and member of the board of directors of the Aiom Foundation. The “success was incredible and allowed us to reach the goal of 100,000 signatures. For this we will organize a second walk, on October 23, at the Modena Resistance Park. It will be an opportunity to get to know each other, share stories and experiences, convey courage and show how many of us are demanding a law that protects former patients “, she concludes.
#Cancer #thousand #signatures #collected #law #forgotten