There are five
specialized children's hospitals in Serbia (three in Belgrade, in the cities of
Novi Sad and Nis). Children with malignant diseases are treated in five
departments of pediatric oncology. The largest division is the one at IORS (18
beds) treating children and teenagers with brain tumors, bone tumors, soft
tissue tumors of various localization.
Children with leukemia and limfoma are treated at the other departments.
There are no specialized department, hospice or home care teams for palliative care of children
After losing a child, I work, occasionally, with the parents depending on its individual needs.
Psychological
intervention conducted at a oncological department dealing with interventions
that are associated with the processing of loss are:
1.Psychological workshops - psychological work group when a child or teen dies
at the Department, which is a huge stress for other parents and other children
at the department (especially teenagers and adolescents) and of course, for the
staff. Psychology workshops with the theme of loss, are aimed at healing and
ventilation of heavy feeling, interpretation of various facilities, the opening
ritual of forgiveness from the deceased friend (which is better than not
speaking or misleading – frequent practice of parents and medical staff in our
society).
CONCLUSIONS
How to help dying patients (adults and children)to relieve suffering?How to care for the WHOLE patient not just for disease or isolated symptoms?How to help dying patients to normalize situation, establish control, identity, relationships, sense of meaning, peace and purpose in their life?How to provide bereavement support for families after lost?And most important question is how to find and implement a good enough model for the Psycho-oncology and Palliative care,taking into account the situation and obstacles in Serbian health care system today?