XI Leukema Cancer Patient Congress was held at Hilton Garden Inn on 14.10.2021, and started with the opening speech of General Director of Services for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly Spc. Dr. Orhan KOÇ.

Organized by the Leukemia Patients Association, XI. Leukema Cancer Patient Congress was held at the Hilton Garden Inn on 14.10.2021 under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Fevzi ALTUNTAŞ. XI. Leukema Cancer Patient Congress, started with the opening speech of General Director of Services for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly, Spc. Dr. Orhan KOÇ.

Starting the speech by thanking those who contributed to the 11th Leukema Cancer Patient Congress, Spc. Dr. Orhan KOÇ said: “Our General Directorate aims to implement policies that are built on encouraging and ensuring that persons with disabilities benefit equally from all human rights and fundamental freedoms without discrimination in all areas of social life, and to strengthen respect for human dignity, in cooperation and coordination with all relevant institutions and organizations. In order to achieve this goal, it contributes to the processes by researching the problems and solutions of persons with disabilities, preparing and implementing proposals and programs for the development of the practice in the provision of rights and services for persons with disabilities, following national and international legal regulations.

Stating that cancer is one of the diseases that cause significant obstacles in both acute and remission periods, Spc. Dr. Orhan KOÇ said: “In the study conducted by the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) on 36 cancer types in 185 countries, the annual number of new cancer cases was 14.1 million and the annual number of cancer-related deaths was 8.2 million in 2012; In 2018, the number of new cancer cases was 18.1 million, the annual number of cancer-related deaths was 9.6 million, in 2020 the number of new cancer cases was 19.3 million and the annual number of cancer-related deaths was 10.0 million people. Based on the aforementioned study, the agency evaluates that the global cancer burden has increased, that one out of every 5 people in the world has been diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, that 1 out of 8 men and 1 out of 11 women who had cancer died due to cancer. According to the 2020 Cancer statistics data of the Ministry of Health, 233,834 new cancer cases were detected in 2020 and 126,335 people died due to cancer. The number of patients who have survived cancer for 5 years is 531,636”.

Function Loss Caused by Cancer Disease Treatment Period and Subsequent Periods and Childhood Diseases Are Included in the Disability Causing Diseases Group

General Director of Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly, Spc. Dr. Orhan KOÇ, during the continuation of his speech, expressing that cancer is in the group of diseases that cause disability due to loss of function due to the effects of the disease in the treatment period and the following periods, said: “Our Directorate General considers that this period should be taken seriously, considering that the loss of function caused by childhood diseases continues throughout life. In this context, it has carried out a series of studies in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the "Regulation on Special Needs Assessment for Children", which provides a different measurement from the adult period in the assessment of childhood disability, was published in the Official Gazette dated 20.02.2019 and numbered 30692 and entered into force.

With an approach away from labelling, expressions such as “disabled”, “handicapped” and “crippled” were not used in COZGER in which children with cancer are evaluated as well.

Expressions such as “disabled”, “handicapped” and “crippled” were not used in COZGER, in which children with cancer are also evaluated, with an approach that is far from labelling. Disability assessment of children is carried out by determining the "special needs" levels. Expressions; Mild OGV (40-49%), Has Special Needs OGV (20-39%) Intermediate OGV (50-59%) Advanced OGV (60-69%) Very Advanced OGV (70-79%) Has Significant Special Needs (80-89%), Have Special Requirement Needs (90-99%) were used instead of disability.

In the process of obtaining a special needs report, children were evaluated by their own physician or a pediatrician to determine the level of special needs. By expanding the scope of childhood disability assessment, diagnosis and assessment criteria for 23 sub-areas were determined, and evaluations in this area were accelerated. In the previous regulation, children with cancer and their families, which were classified only according to cancer stages under the Oncology sub-title and benefited from the rights accordingly, have been evaluated in more detail with the COZGER Regulation.

With the COZGER Regulation, cancer types that cause loss of function between the ages of 0-3 are considered as disability, and these children and their families can be socio-economically supported. Families of children who are determined to have a mild OGV are granted disability pension within the scope of Law No. 2022. According to the data of 2020, the number of people who are paid Relatives of Persons with Disabilities Pension (Under 18) is 95,540 and the amount of payment is 548 million TL. 2,516 million TL for 277,553 people over the age of 18 with a disability of 70% or more; 2,104 million TL was paid to 346,752 people over the age of 18 with a disability between 40% and 69%.” said.

Home Care Support Service - Providing Care Service through Private Care Centres

In the case that the care support required for the continuation of the lives of the persons with disabilities is provided by the family of the person with disabilities, our Ministry pays the person who provides care to the person with disabilities in the amount of one month's minimum wage. Dr. Orhan KOÇ; 164053 people between the ages of 0-18 and 352412 people over the age of 18 benefit from this service, that individuals with disabilities who need care are provided with care services in special care centres supervised by the Provincial Directorates of Family and Social Services. He emphasized that 3,561.53 TL was paid for the training, and that there are 57 special care centres for disabled individuals aged 0-18 in our country, and 235 special care centres for those aged 18 and over. Spc. Dr. Orhan KOÇ also stated that individuals with disabilities, who are unable to meet the requirements of life due to their physical, mental and spiritual disabilities, can receive care from these centres free of charge, regardless of whether they have any income, and that rehabilitation services are also offered in addition to care services, according to the data of July 2021, in our country. He explained that there are 128 official residential/day service institutions.

After the opening speeches, Session 1 “Cancer Awareness”, Session 2 “Innovations in Cancer Treatment”, and Session 2“Towards Hope Through Life” were held. The congress concluded with wishes stating that hope is one of the most important pillars of cancer treatment.