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Date Published: 30/03/2022

ARCHIVED - 14 Ukrainian children flown to the Costa Blanca for cancer treatment

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Five of the sick children are receiving life-saving care in Alicante province

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - 14 Ukrainian children flown to the Costa Blanca for cancer treatment

Fourteen Ukrainian children with cancer who, together with their families, fled the war in their home country on board a Spanish plane to Madrid at the weekend have been flown to the Valencia region to continue life-saving treatment.

Five of the poorly youngsters will be treated at Alicante's Hospital Doctor Balmis.

The children, ranging from babies to 18-year-olds were flown to Valencia on Saturday March 26 following a humanitarian call from several international societies to "safe destinations" for help in enabling the young patients to continue their medical treatment.

The Spanish non-profit Aladina Foundation immediately teamed up with other child cancer organisations and the necessary medical and logistical arrangements were put in place, with the support of the Ministries of Health, Defence and Social Inclusion and Welfare.

Once the arrangements were made, the Aspanion Children With Cancer association, together with the Spanish Association Against Cancer, took charge of managing the arrival of the sick children and their families with a team of more than 50 people last weekend, including translators, volunteers and psychosocial care professionals.

Also read: At night, under curfew and martial law: diary of the Benidorm expat who drove across Europe to help Ukraine

The children have been transferred to the region's three main hospitals, Hospital La Fe and Hospital Clínico de Valencia and Alicante's Hospital General Doctor Balmis, "where they have resumed treatment and where comprehensive care will be provided," according to Aspanion.

The association will be responsible for the psychosocial care of the families and, together with the Spanish Association Against Cancer, will be in charge of accommodation "until the public administration can offer them a suitable solution".

The humanitarian effort has involved almost a dozen different charities and organisations, not only regional, but also from Madrid and Barcelona.

Meanwhile, the region continues to receive hundreds of refugees fleeing the war-torn Ukraine, and on Monday March 28, refurbishment work was completed at Ciudad de la Luz (City of Light) reception centre in Alicante.

The temporary facility occupies 7,600 m2 on four floors of the former film studios and can accommodate 500 people. More beds have been installed than was initially planned in anticipation of the "large volume of refugees expected to arrive in the coming weeks as the conflict intensifies".

Also of interest: Price of electricity in Spain has risen 24 per cent since start of war in Ukraine

Image: Fundación "la Caixa"

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