We know the winners of the 2nd edition of the DKMS Foundation Grant

The DKMS Foundation is not only a Marrow Donor Center, but also an organization that works to improve the conditions and quality of treatment for patients with cancer and hematological diseases. The DKMS Foundation Grant Project, implemented within the framework of the Program for the Development of Polish Transplantation and Patient Support since 2022, is aimed at non-governmental organizations, and its goal is to provide psychological assistance to hematological patients and their relatives in the process of treatment and recovery.

In times of widespread and fundamental social, cultural and economic changes, cancer is still perceived and experienced as one of the most serious crises in a person's life. The key task of psycho-oncological support is to adapt to the new situation and equip the patient and his loved ones with the psychological capabilities and tools that will allow them to function effectively in this difficult situation.

- For many patients, a cancer diagnosis is the most difficult experience in life. It is the moment when one confronts the fragility of life and the passing of time. Fortunately, most patients focus on treatment and increasingly seek the help of a psycho-oncologist. By talking to a person with expertise, the patient can better understand his emotional state, which consequently has a positive effect on the patient's overall functioning. That's why I'm glad that the DKMS Foundation has taken it upon itself to support the care of the area of psycho-oncology, which is of great importance in the process of the patient's treatment and recovery," says Dr. Mariola Kosowicz, clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, psycho-oncologist, head of the Mental Health Clinic at the Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology - Research Institute in Warsaw.

Record number of applications

Applications for the DKMS Foundation Grant could be submitted until the end of April 2023. The total pool of funds was PLN 700,000, with the Grantee eligible for a maximum of PLN 90,000 grant per project. Patient advocacy organizations from all over Poland submitted as many as 35 initiatives. The grant applications were very diverse, which shows how many needs of patients and the medical community in the field of psycho-oncology are to be taken care of.

Results of the 2nd edition of the DKMS Foundation Grant

In mid-May this year, the Jury, consisting of prof. Marzena Samardakiewicz - President of the Polish Psycho-oncology Society, Izabela Dębicka-Starska - Member of the Board of the Klon/Jawor Association, coordinator of social projects, Ewa Visan - Manager of the Fundraising, PR and Patient Program Teams of the DKMS Foundation, Magdalena Przysłupska - Spokesperson of the DKMS Foundation, and Andrzej Dziedzic - Patient after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, President of the Swimming Palestra Foundation. The jury analyzed all submitted applications and selected 10 projects to receive financial support for their implementation. Among the DKMS Foundation Grant Recipients were:

1. Slupsk Association for the Development of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation. Project: Psychological PoMoc. A common cause. Scope: psychological support for adult hematology patients, their relatives and medical staff.
2. Foundation In Relation to Cancer. Project: psychological workshops for hematooncology patients based on the cancer coaching method (continuation of the project from the 1st edition of the Grant).
3. Good That You Are Foundation. Project: development of the National Oncology Volunteer Network (ROS-ONKO) - expansion of volunteerism. Scope: non-medical support of oncology and hematology patients by providing them with the only program in Poland for the permanent support of teams of trained oncology volunteers.
4. Kids Khoisan. Association for the Support of Marrow Transplantation and Children's Oncology. Project: the Khoisan Help Box including therapeutic stories (written and audio) combined with cards about emotions in illness, and training on the principles of using the therapy cards for parents, volunteers and staff. An "Emotional First Aid" guide for parents will also be created.
5. "Help Them" Foundation for Children with Cancer and Hospice for Children. Project: the Power of Help 2, which is a continuation from the 1st edition of the grant project of psychological support for doctors, families of children under the care of the clinic and after hospital treatment. Scope: psychological and developmental support of volunteers, organization of periodic activities for patients combined with integration with volunteers.
6. Ms. Ani Foundation. Project: Empowered Workshops for Young Survivors AYA (Adolescent Young Adults) combined with an incubator of needs and ideas for improving quality of life - showing adolescents and young adults after cancer treatment ways to cope with difficult emotions associated with the disease and its effects.
7. Unicorn Association. Project: ON_KOnsultacje - free psychological consultations for hematooncology patients and their relatives (364 hours of consultations stationary and online).
8. Gaius Foundation. Project: we open the OKNO to the world, which includes help for children after ONKOlogical disease. Organization of a trip during which a group of patients will receive support through therapeutic-activation meetings, self-help meetings for parents and individual meetings with a psychologist.
9. Equally Important Foundation. Project: together for equal opportunities for children. Scope: family-directed activities, including psychological and developmental assistance for siblings of children with hematological diseases.
10. Leave Your Trace Foundation. Project: the Big Book of Therapeutic Fairy Tales "Eve's Unusual Animals" - ONCO decalogue of emotions. Scope: supporting children and adolescents in going through cancer, supporting parents/guardians of families of sick children and medical staff in communicating about difficult emotions with young patients and their parents/guardians.

- We are pleased that NGOs responded in such large numbers to our invitation to participate in the 2nd edition of the DKMS Foundation Grant. The 35 applications submitted are 95% more than in the previous pilot edition. We are full of admiration and can say with all responsibility that the level of content was very high, and the initiatives selected by the Jury will truly support the treatment and recovery process of hematological patients," says Ewa Nawrot, Coordinator for Cooperation with Patient Organizations of the DKMS Foundation.

Organizations that participated in the 2nd edition of the DKMS Foundation Grant could submit projects in two categories, i.e. psychological support for young and young hematology patients (up to 18 years old) and psychological support for adult hematology patients.

Nearly 2,000 people received support - these are the results of the 1st edition of Grants

In the first edition of the DKMS Foundation Grant, 18 initiatives were submitted, and the Jury selected 6 projects that received financial support totaling PLN 297,789.41. The projects implemented by the Beneficiaries in the field of psycho-oncology supported nearly 2,000 people (both patients and their relatives) - these are the real effects of the help that arrived in the pilot edition of the Grant. - The completed initiatives primarily involved local communities around which patient organizations are centered. Nevertheless, thanks to the NGOs' extensive online activities, we can say that many more patients and their relatives benefited from this support, of which we are immensely proud," adds Ewa Nawrot.

Among the projects carried out were workshops for volunteers, as well as for doctors and nurses, through which they were equipped with psychological knowledge and the ability to work with hematology patients. Patients were able to benefit from therapy and activation meetings, as well as one-on-one consultations or teleconsultations. On the other hand, newly diagnosed young patients received an "adaptation indispensable" to help them adapt to cancer diagnosis and hospitalization.

Read more: at https://www.dkms.pl/dotacja-fundacji-dkms