Association seeks to improve the quality of life of people with cancer across Brazil

Founded in March of 2004, in Ipatinga, municipality in the interior of Minas Gerais, the Associação de Amparo a Pacientes com Câncer (ASAPAC) (‘Support Association for Cancer Patients, in english) has as its main objective to improve the quality of life of cancer patients from all across Brazil, extending the benefit to caregivers and family. The institution supports those attended by offering special medicine, food supplements, milk, geriatric diapers, exams and delivery of basic food baskets.

The association was created after the death of a newborn diagnosed with a tumor, son of Isabel Matilde Cunha and her husband. After learning about the diagnosis, Isabel began the treatment, but it was hard to financially maintain herself during the period. With only six months, the child didn’t resist and died. From then on, the difficulties only increased. The interviewee Lucelia Oliveira Santos spoke about the foundation:

“She had to start a campaign, going door to door, to get the amount needed to transport her son’s body to her hometown and also to carry out the burial. That was how everything started. Isabel returned to Belo Horizonte with the firm goal of helping other families who were with their loved ones undergoing treatment. She and her husband started to ask for food for the population to cook and take to the mothers who accompanied their children during treatment in hospitals, besides assembling baskets to support the needy families when their children were discharged. And that’s how more people joined and ASAPAC was born”, says Lucelia.

Today, the units develop the work according to the needs of each region. Now, the institution is present in 10 cities of Minas Gerais: Ipatinga, São João Del Rey, Conselheiro Lafaiete, Governador Valadares, Caratinga, were it was founded, and then expanded to Divinópolis, Campo Belo, Patos de Minas, Sete Lagoas and Belo Horizonte – but the service is extended to the whole state of Minas Gerais.  

Some units also offer shelter to the outside patients who can’t afford the costs of accommodation, others provide multidisciplinary care with social assistance, psychologist, nutritionist and physiotherapist. The initiative does not discriminate against age and anyone undergoing oncological treatment and in a state of vulnerability is assisted by ASAPAC.

Lucelia says that the project has a great impact on the lives of the people assisted by the institution, not only because it meets their basic needs during the treatment period, but mainly because the team welcomes the patient and their  family from the first moment after the diagnosis. She also says that each patient registered in the association is another member who becomes part of a large family.

“And, together, we will fight for a cure. In these 18 years’ path, thousands of patients and families have benefited from the work carried out by ASAPAC”, she concludes.

Currently, ASAPAC also holds talks, lectures and campaigns for awareness and prevention against cancer, with the aim of bringing information about the importance of an early diagnosis. When discovered in the initial phase, the chances of cure increase considerably and the aggressiveness of the treatment decreases.

To continue the work and serve more and more patients, the institution needs your support! You can send or deliver basic food baskets, milk, diapers and slippers of all sizes. The institution also accepts the donation of seeds and vegetable seedlings to strengthen the space’s community garden and feed more people.

Address: Rua Goiânia, 670, bairro Caravelas, Ipatinga, Minas Gerais. 

You can also donate money by PIX: Key – 55 31997447708.

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Social media: @asapac_ipatinga.