A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Clinic of Paediatric Clinical Haematology and Oncology at Tsaritsa Yoanna University Hospital (ISUL) and the Princess Máxima Centre for Paediatric Oncology in the Netherlands, the largest paediatric oncology centre in Europe. The signing ceremony took place at the Sofia hospital. The document was signed by the hospital’s director, Lyubomir Penev, and Professor Rob Pieters, one of the founders of the Princess Máxima Centre for Paediatric Oncology and President of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology.
The partnership will allow Bulgarian specialists to gain first-hand knowledge of the centre’s working model and its integrated approach to caring for children with cancer. This includes long-term follow-up for patients who have recovered, ensuring a high quality of life, palliative care, psychosocial support and other services.
Bulgarian doctors will have the opportunity to take part in training programmes and participate in weekly discussions with specialist boards, with the aim of ensuring and applying the highest European and international standards in the care of children with cancer. The centre in the Netherlands will also provide treatment for the most complex cases from Bulgaria, using methods and techniques that are not yet available in the country. Today’s initiative directly supports the objectives of the emerging Bulgarian National Hub of the Mission on Cancer.
Health Minister Katya Ivkova congratulated the management teams of the hospital and the centre on taking this step towards practical cooperation. The memorandum will provide a foundation for improving paediatric oncology care, as well as exchanging skills and good ideas, she said. According to the minister, the centre’s expertise represents the highest standard in paediatric oncology in the EU.
For the staff working at the clinic, signing the document offers an opportunity to build on their knowledge, participate in specialist boards and bring their practices in the care of children with cancer into line with international standards, said Lyubomir Penev, director of Tsaritsa Yoanna University Hospital (ISUL).
“We brought our centres together, which was crucial. This allows us to help children not only in the Netherlands but also in other countries,” Professor Pieters said. In Bulgaria, this care is spread across separate units, and parents sometimes have to travel abroad with their sick children, resulting in a loss of valuable time and money, he added.
According to him, the best solution would be to provide care for children affected by cancer in one place. “Cooperation is essential if we want every child to receive care and treatment. It will also help improve diagnosis, data collection and participation in European studies, all of which will contribute to more children being cured,” he added.
“In our daily work, we put in not only professionalism, but also our hearts and souls. However, that is not enough, because major achievements come from bringing our efforts together,” said Professor Boryana Avramova, Head of the Clinic of Paediatric Clinical Haematology and Oncology. The agreement will give medical professionals access to training and ensure that children can receive the best possible treatment, she added.
Those attending the memorandum-signing ceremony also received greetings on behalf of Dr Vladimir Daskalov, Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, and Professor Boycho Landzhov, Rector of the Medical University of Sofia, as well as from Ivaylo Petrov of the Bulgarian National Hub of the Mission on Cancer.
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