The Association for the Support of Cancer Patients (ASPO) is one of the winners of the project competition announced this year by the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity through the National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of People with Disabilities. Therefore, the ASPO association is pleased to announce the launch of its innovative project “Hope for the Future: Emotional Development through Art – a Means of Social Integration of Oncology Patients”, a project that focuses on the latest creative and therapeutic approaches dedicated to helping oncology patients in the process of healing and recovery.

The project “Hope for the future: Emotional development through art – a means of social integration of cancer patients” aims to offer an alternative to conventional methods of therapy for cancer patients.

“We are aware of the physical and emotional challenges associated with fighting cancer, and we strongly believe that art therapy through theater and painting can bring significant benefits to cancer patients. During 12 weeks, the beneficiaries of the project, 20 members of ASPO, who have a disability certificate, will carry out creative activities in 20 theater and painting workshops, which are part of the educational and emotional approach. ASPO members are joined by indirect beneficiaries (family, friends, work colleagues, etc.), who are also part of ASPO’s approach to emotional education, which brings the necessary dimension of social inclusion to our project,” say representatives of the Cancer Patient Support Association (ASPO).

Project goals:

• Support for recovery: our project will focus on providing drama writing, theater and painting sessions for cancer patients who are members of ASPO to improve their well-being, support the recovery process and socio-professional integration. The workshops focus on the need of the target group to understand, accept and acknowledge their emotions through art.

• Stimulating creative expression: Art therapy can provide a wonderful way to express complex emotions and thoughts. Cancer patients will have the opportunity to express their feelings through artistic creativity. The theater sessions will conclude with a play inspired by the experiences of cancer patients, staged and performed by ASPO members participating in our project. The painting classes will be completed by an exhibition of paintings that cancer patients will create during master classes of artistic expression in color.

• Improving the quality of life: the main goal of the project is to improve the quality of life of cancer patients by providing them with tools to more effectively deal with the problems of the disease. Theater and art therapy has a profound effect on the emotional well-being and quality of life of patients, helping to reduce the stress, anxiety and depression associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment.

“We strive to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and are convinced that theater and painting can play a significant role in this regard. Art is a medium through which we can sometimes express the unspeakable, connect with others, and find beauty in the midst of our challenges,” said Catalina Negara, President of ASPO.

How the project will work:

The project “Hope for the future: Emotional development through art – a means of social integration of cancer patients” will provide regular therapeutic sessions with the help of drama, theater and painting for ASPO members.

These classes will be conducted by qualified art professionals in a safe and comfortable environment. The project, which started in August, will be completed in October this year. The artistic activities in the 20 workshops included in this innovative project will culminate in the opening of an exhibition and the showing, for the first time in Romania, of a theater show inspired by the experiences and feelings shared by oncology patients with disabilities throughout the project. , a filmed show and a live online broadcast on the ASPO Association Facebook page. After the opening of the painting exhibition, the paintings created by the target group of our project will be transferred to the chemotherapy ward to bring light and joy to cancer patients undergoing treatment.

At the end of October, ASPO invites cancer patients, their families and all interested parties to help complete this wonderful project. You can get more details about the project “Hope for the future: Emotional development through art – a means of social integration of cancer patients” at [email protected].

About ASPO:

Created at the suggestion of patients who benefited from the support of the Renașteare Foundation, the Oncology Patient Support Association is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve the lives of cancer patients. Our goal is to provide emotional support, relevant information and resources to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. ASPO continues to support cancer patients and develop innovative projects to improve their lives. ASPO believes that an important support for the integration of cancer patients into the labor market and into society is the activity of emotional development with the help of theater and painting – an option based on numerous international scientific studies. Since its foundation, the ASPO Association has been conducting programs of psycho-emotional support and personal development for oncology patients, many of whom have a disability certificate.

About the National Body for the Protection of the Rights of People with Disabilities:

The National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the central body of Romania, subordinate to the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity, which performs the role of coordinating activities for the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, developing policies, strategies and standards in the field of protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities opportunities of disability, ensuring the further application of normative acts in their own sphere and monitoring activities for the protection and promotion of the rights of people with disabilities. persons with disabilities, in accordance with Government Resolution No. 234 of 2022 on the powers, organization and functioning of the National Body for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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