ALYN Hospital and Hadassah Medical Center Pediatric Oncology Department Joint Pilot Project

ALYN Hospital and Hadassah Medical Center have recently established a joint pilot project in which Hadassah’s Pediatric Oncology Department refer young patients to ALYN Hospital - either within the framework of ALYN’s Day Hospitalization program or as an in-patient in the Rehabilitation Unit - at the same time as these children are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy in Hadassah.   Rehabilitation for children suffering from cancer is generally necessary as a result of medically induced complications i.e. the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy which may result in extreme weakness, loss of appetite, loss of ability to walk and in addition they suffer from being in a very fragile emotional state.  As a result of this cooperation these young patients are now referred to ALYN at the beginning of their treatment in Hadassah so that a personalized multidisciplinary rehabilitation plan can be built for them by the ALYN therapists which may help to prevent some of the expected side effects which these children generally suffer from.  Each rehabilitation plan includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, hydrotherapy, computer technology therapy together with emotional and practical support from ALYN’s social workers and psychologists.  For the parents of such a child undergoing harsh chemotherapy and radiation therapy in Hadassah’s Pediatric Oncology Department,  who have been faced with life and death issues, the fact of talking about rehabilitation helps them focus on future goals and gives them hope that there will be a future.   At present 7 children are undergoing rehabilitation in ALYN whilst at the same time receiving treatment for cancer in Hadassah Medical Center.