National Cancer Institute School Project

Lorena Giovannini, Ph.D., is a clinical and experimental neuropsychologist in the National Cancer Institute in Aviano (Italy). After her PhD program, concluded in 2006, she has continued a fine collaboration with University of Trieste (Italy) both in research and teaching activities. Today Lorena Giovannini in the National Cancer Istitute participates to many projects about psychological support and/or neuropsychological rehabilitation for patients during their treatments, for caregivers and for long-term cancer survivors. Moreover, she is involved in the "Area Giovani" project: a specific area both phisical and psychosocial, where young patients may find answers to their clinical, social, relational and scholar needs.

Doctor Giovannini is also a member of the Society of Neuropsychologists (Società degli Psicologi di  Area Neuropsicologica, SPAN) and the Italian Society of Oncological Psychology (Società Italiana di Psicologia Oncologica, SIPO).

During this workshop authors would like to describe the school project in the National Cancer Institute in Aviano (Italy). Since the Institute is not a pediatric hospital nor a pediatric department exists, this experience is very peculiar.

Every year only some children or teens arrive at the Institute for their therapies. In spite of the small number, they receive specific attention for their specific needs in order to prevent traumatic experience. In this way, physicians, nurses, psychologists of the Institute together with volunteers and local and regional scholastic institutions have developed this project.

In workshop time, we describe and show participants through two videos how it was born and how it has been developed. We also describe peculiar relationships between teachers and pupils, that are based on one-to-one lessons and on specific times linked to cure needs, through some stories and testimonies.