Sylva at SuomiAreena: Welfare state's capacity to support the family of a child with cancer

The community for children, young people, young adults with cancer and their loved ones, Sylva, organized a discussion event at Suomi Areena on the state of the welfare state in supporting the family of a child diagnosed with cancer. The discussion participants included the father of a child with cancer, Finland's national football team head coach Jacob Friis, the mother of a child with cancer Annastiina Hedman, Research Director Riikka Leskelä, and a Sylva representative Antti Karjalainen. The event was hosted by Riitta Väkeväinen. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the whole family's life stops. Thoughts are filled with fear, uncertainty and immense worry. On top of the heavy emotional burden, the family's finances experience a shock, and according to Sylva's family barometer, the net income of parents decreases during treatment in 80% of families. A child's cancer also weighs on parents' coping capacity, and the need for professional counselling and peer support throughout the entire treatment path is significant. Faced with such a multidimensional problem, the need for societal support is also great, and it is in both the family's and the common interest that the family receives the widest possible financial and social support in addition to the critically important medical treatments. Sylva is an association founded by parents that supports children, young people and young adults with cancer and their loved ones. Sylva's family barometer 2026 will be published at Suomi Areena. https://www.sylva.fi/