LOSEV - Earthquake Relief Aid in Turkey

The number of patients registered to LÖSEV in the earthquake zone is around 8000. Some of them could not be reached, some of them were evacuated from the region, and they are hosted in the Village for Children with Leukemia and LÖSANTE in Ankara. For some, accommodation opportunities in different cities have been organized. LÖSEV supports both the evacuated patients and their families as well as the patients still staying in the region. In the table below, you can see the information on the number of patients still in the region as of March 20. In addition to these numbers, the families evacuated from the region are also the target group of LÖSEV. Finally, among our projects, new cancer and leukemia patients will be identified and their records will be taken with our mobile earthquake vehicle project, which will start at the beginning of May, and these numbers will increase further with the new patients.

The hospitals in the EQ zone have been either destroyed or damaged in a large scale. Many healthcare providers in the 10 provinces hit by the quake died or injured. Therefore, unfortunately patients could not receive health services at all, or they do with an interruption and lack of hygienic conditions in these 10 provinces. Access to a clean and safe shelter, basic needs and hygienic conditions are also very significant challenges for people, especially cancer and leukemia patients. The rate of deaths among the cancer and leukemia patients is around 60% and the rest have mostly complications and metastasis. Furthermore, the risk of new cancer diagnosis among the affected population is great soon due to the asbestos released by the debris removal. LÖSEV and LÖSANTE make preparations for the current and possible crisis to provide holistic services to cancer and leukemia patients and their families. The needs in the filed enormous compared to the LÖSEV and LÖSANTE’s capacity as the hospital receives 2-3 new patient registrations per day. In every year, Türkiye has averagely new 230.000 cancer patients and 8,000 of this number is Leukemia patients. (GLOBOCAN 2020 Database. https://gco.iarc.fr/)The social security system (SGK) in Türkiye only covers one-tenth of treatment costs of children with leukemia so there is a huge need for LÖSEV and LÖSANTE to provide more support to its patients and their families.

Number of people we aim to help 20,300 people (including every patient and their families) / basic humanitarian needs during the year, shelter, cash assistance, education and psychological assistance. In our hospital we will need more funds to be able to accept and continue the treatment of new pediatric cancer patients since all the treatment process is free of charge in our Hospital.

LÖSEV and LÖSANTE strongly advocates that there is not anything more important than a child’s life.

LÖSEV’s EQ Response in Brief

• Day-to-day communication with families
• Aid trucks: basic needs provision in the first 48 hours
• Evacuation of cancer and leukemia patients
• Providing free accommodation at the LÖSEV Children’s Village
• Providing free treatment services at LÖSANTE
• Providing education services to EQ survivor children at the LÖSEV School
• Pyschological support
• Approved projects to be implemented in the EQ Zone

1. Mobile EQ Relief Vehicle Project
2. Mobile Kitchen Project

• We established a 3D Play Room for the kids at LÖSANTE and another one is on the way

Our plans short term (1 year) and long term (2+ years) plans

Our 1-year plans:

• Mobile Earthquake Vehicle Project: (APPROVED) With the mobile earthquake vehicle project approved by the funding agency, needs analysis will be conducted in the earthquake area, cancer and leukemia patient records will be obtained, and rehabilitation and consultancy services will be provided. The project will start between April and May and will last for 6 months as the initial phase and will be extended as needed.
• Mobile Kitchen Project: (APPROVED) With the project approved by the funding institution, hot and healthy meals will be provided to cancer and leukemia patients in the earthquake zone. The project will start in April-May and will last for 12 months.

• Mobile Child Friendly Space Psycho-social Support (PSS) Project: The project has been developed and we are looking for a funding agency. The three main components of the project are; PSS, education (make-up lessons and pedagogical counselling), distribution of hygiene kits for women and girls. The project is planned to last 12 months. The target group is children with cancer and leukemia and their families.
• Cash Assistance Project: The project has been developed and we are looking for a funding agency. The aim of the project is to ensure that earthquake victims / cancer and leukemia patients and their families have access to their basic needs in a manner befitting human dignity. The project was designed in two phases (6+6 months). The target group is cancer and leukemia patients and their families.

• Women Empowerment Project: The project has been developed and we are looking for a funding agency. The aim of the project is to ensure that earthquake survivor women and girls with cancer and leukemia have access to hygiene and sanitation materials.

Links:

• LOSEV's Aids
• Turkiye's LOSEV caring for quake survivors with cancer /TRTWORLD
• Boxes of Happiness