The LAU Medical Center- Rizk
Hospital pediatric department received two virtual reality devices from CHANCE (CHildren
AgaiNst CancEr) Association.
Those virtual devices are the first to be used in hospitals in Lebanon to
alleviate the pain and anxiety of children undergoing medical procedures.
Dr. Roula Farah, President and Founder of CHANCE Association, handed over the devices to the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital Head of Pediatrics Department, Dr. Maroun Matar and the Head of Anesthesiology Department, Dr. Vanda Abi Raad.
This event took place in the presence of Mr. Sami Rizk, CEO of LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital, Dr. Hanane Barakat, CMO of LAUMC-RH and members of CHANCE Association Committee, Ms. Hadia Abdel Massih, Ms. Nathalie Azar and Mr. Selim Tohme.
During the VR devices handover, Dr. Roula Farah commented: “With the ongoing economic crisis, Lebanon is witnessing a severe shortage in medications, and some patients are not even being able to afford the rising prices of basic treatment.
The VR devices could be an excellent distraction for children and potentially an alternative to some pain killers that are either unavailable or out of reach. In addition to standard analgesia, VR technology has been shown to reduce pain intensity as well as annoyance and time spent thinking about the pain and trying to manage it.”
Mr. Sami Rizk praised the great efforts of the CHANCE team to support the pediatric patients of the hospital over the years, mainly children with chronic diseases and always striving to make a positive impact despite the difficult times through the Lebanese health sector.
About CHANCE Association
CHANCE (CHildren AgaiNst CancEr) Association is a Lebanese NGO (non-denominational, non-sectarian) whose mission is to help children with cancer and blood disorders in Lebanon. The organization, founded in 2005 (license number 52/AD), helps young patients receive the necessary treatment and helps cover expenses related to their treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, medications, lab work, imaging, and other therapy-related care) when families do not have the financial means to do so. Children with cancer have high cure rates, and CHANCE believes financial difficulties should never be an obstacle to successful treatment. Since 2005, they have helped 800 children fight their battle against cancer. CHANCE Association is officially registered in both Lebanon and Switzerland as a non-profit organization. They are also an Associate Member of Childhood Cancer International (CCI).
CHANCE Association is actively supporting 120 children with their cancer treatment across 9 hospitals in Lebanon. This includes treatment, therapies, lab work, imaging, and medication.
Learn more about CHANCE Association by visiting: www.chanceassociation.org.
Follow CHANCE Association on IG and FB: @chanceassociation.