One hundred thousand signatures. One hundred thousand names and surnames. One hundred thousand people who want a law that prevents insurance and credit institutions from collecting information on a tumor that they had many years ago, for which they were declared cured. To date, in fact, often having had a neoplasm means not being able to access mortgages or insurance. This is why the AIOM Foundation launched the campaign for the Right to be forgotten oncology last January. The collection of signatures reached its goal this very night and the adhesions do not show signs of stopping (you can sign up at this link). The petition will be delivered to the next Prime Minister and to President Mattarella, as announced today in Rome, on the occasion of the Preconvention Day of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology.
An important milestone
There are over a million people cured of cancer in Italy: for many of them, however, the recovery is only in the medical records, while at the bureaucratic level they continue to be considered sick, with discrimination in access to 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. “It has become essential to allow patients, especially the younger ones, to enjoy a free and complete life after the end of treatment”, explains Giordano Beretta, President of the AIOM Foundation: “Many of them 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’ve achieved our goal, we can’t wait to celebrate it 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. We are now asking the new Parliament for an ethical and civilization law ”.
What do you want from the law
Specifically, it is asked that, after 10 years from the end of 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. “The great advances in research allow us to give patients many years of life, which they deserve to be able to enjoy freely”, he adds. Saverio CinieriPresident AIOM: “We can no longer allow the quality of this time to be reduced due to bureaucratic limitations”.
Next appointment: Modena
The communication campaign, which saw the birth of the rightsallobliotumori.org portal for the collection of signatures, intense social activities with the launch of a challenge, the hashtag #iononsonoilmiotumore and the dissemination of brochures, was enriched by a great event in breaking latest news , the first non-competitive walk for the right to oncological oblivion, in which more than 400 people took part. On Sunday 23 October the initiative, open to all, will be repeated in Modena. “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 concludes 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. This is why we will organize a second walk, on October 23, at the Parco della Resistenza in Modena. 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 “.