KHCF launches 15th summer camp for patients

AMMAN — The King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) has inaugurated its 15th consecutive summer camp for children receiving treatment at the King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC).

The camp, which is held for a month annually, is part of the treatment received by the patients as doctors at the centre feel that "the treatment of cancer is not only medical, but also psychological", according to a statement by the centre.

“Recent studies prove that a good psychological state is crucial to any successful treatment. There is empirical evidence that a direct link is present between the two, especially in the case of children patients,” Rashed Taani, a doctor at the centre, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

Patients aged between five and 18 years old, will have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of activities such as face painting, music, magic tricks and educational games, the statement said.

For the parents of Mohammad Alasmar, a patient at the centre “we can’t tell if anything is different medically, because he still undergoes the same doses of chemo, but he is definitely happier when he attends.”

 “On days when he doesn’t have chemo and can attend the camp, he forgets about his pain because he is occupied with the other children and the chaos of the camp, unlike when he’s alone,” they told The Jordan Times.

One of the camp’s organisers, who preferred to remain anonymous, stressed that the case of Mohammad is similar to that of many children who “feel normal again” when they participate in the activities.

Recalling a patient she oversees, she remembered how "very upset" he was at the beginning of the summer, to the point that he could not enjoy his time like his friends as he had to spend most of his days at the hospital. However, since the start of the camp, "he looks forward to his visits".

At the launch ceremony, KHCF Director General Nisreen Qatamish emphasised the camp’s role in the children’s treatment plan, stating: “The summer camp is one of the most important KHCC programmes organised as part of its holistic approach towards its patients, as it caters to children’s psychological well-being as well as their physical healing process.”