Who are the people who volunteered alongside breast cancer patients in 2021? Based on the answers obtained from the associations that refer to Europa Donna, we can say that there are 4,533, with an average age of 54, women in over eight cases out of ten and in 2021 they dedicated over 285,000 hours to volunteering. 62% of volunteers dedicated 2.8 thousand hours to training in advocacy, hospitality, accounting, third sector management, fundraising, therapeutic and experimental innovations, needs and problems of family members and the role of the caregiver. They are therefore professional and trained volunteers, a qualified interlocutor to contribute to the choices of scientific institutions and societies. In 2021, the 142 associations that participated in the analysis raised more than € 9 million.
The photograph was taken from the “Analysis of the social value generated by breast cancer voluntary associations”, conducted by PwC Italia and promoted by Europa Donna. “The Report offers us the photograph of a particular year, torn by the restrictions of Covid-19, where many associations have chosen to continue to be in the trenches so that the paths of prevention and treatment of breast cancer were not left behind. Important numbers, which plastically testify what it means to be alongside women in the fight against this pathology, giving voice to the fears and hopes of each of them, supporting their families, the community of doctors and health workers involved in the therapeutic process. ” – comments Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, President of the Senate in the introduction to the report.
“The voice of patients has become part of the health system, but we would not do a good job if, focusing only on patients, we did not commit ourselves to consolidating relationships with all the other stakeholders in the health system to understand what they expect from collaborating with associations. patients present in all Italian regions. Their voices collected in the 2021 Analysis give us back the quality and importance of what we do and help us understand how we can be more and more integrated and useful in making right and appropriate choices “, explains Rosanna D’Antona, President of Europe Woman Italy.
For this reason, the analysis of the value generated by Europa Donna is enriched this year by the precious point of view of the institutional interlocutors, testifying to EDI’s desire to draw up a non-self-referential Report, which represents an opportunity for constructive dialogue between the various public and private actors working in the fight against breast cancer. “In this regard” Lombardy Region – declares Emanuele Monti, President of the Health and Social Policies Commission at Pirellone – has understood first of all the importance of creating a synergy with voluntary associations, so much so that in the recent health reform we have emphasized the centrality of realities such as Europa Donna that guarantee an indispensable contribution to the Lombard care system, especially in the field of prevention and early diagnosis “.
The multidisciplinary team of the Breast Units and their coordinators are important interlocutors for the Associations that carry out their activity in the treatment centers and for this reason, their involvement was decisive in “measuring” the perceived value of the structures that the association offers. in a multidisciplinary breast care center.
And in this regard Lucio Fortunato, Director of the Senology Center, San Giovanni-Addolorata Hospital in Rome, adds “The needs of women diagnosed with breast cancer are enormous and often still unsatisfied, and that is why we need not only of multidisciplinary “Task forces” to cure, but also of complementary therapies and services where the contribution of voluntary associations is truly indispensable “. In 2021, however, their access was reduced due to Covid restrictions. Even the training activity has not yet reached the pre-pandemic levels but in the last year it has nevertheless increased, involving 56% of employees, compared to 6% last year.