It was presented yesterday at the City Hall the “Interregional project for the fight against cancer, from prevention to the end of life,” promoted by the ANT Foundation, in collaboration with 12 third sector entities, co-financed 50% by the Fondazione con il Sud and sponsored by the City of Bari.

The project, active until August 2027, will offer free and comprehensive services to cancer patients and their families: psychological support, cancer prevention visits, courses and workshops for caregivers and meetings for 700 students on health and environment. Psychological assistance will be guaranteed not only to patients already assisted by ANT but also to all those who request it, at home or at ANT offices.

In parallel, the project will strengthen free cancer prevention, promoting 175 days of visits for various pathologies, accessible also to those facing economic difficulties and bookable online. Local partners, in the case of Bari the InConTra association, will be involved in raising awareness, assisting with bookings and orienting vulnerable citizens towards regional and national health services.

The press conference, attended by Deputy Mayor Giovanna Iacovone, included Silvia Leoni, coordinator of the national health management of the ANT Foundation, Alessandra Provenzano, coordinator of the ANT health team in Bari, Manuela Benedetto, psychologist of the ANT team in Bari, Michele Tataranni, president of the InConTra association of Bari, and Giovanna Natile, director of Apleti onlus.

"We are proud to support this project of the ANT Foundation, an initiative that represents an important opportunity for our territory and all the communities involved. - Said Joan Iacovone -. The fight against cancer requires not only excellent medical care, but also psychological, social and human support that can accompany patients and their families. Through concrete interventions such as free cancer prevention and support for caregivers, this project contributes to the construction of an inclusive and supportive healthcare model. This is a sign of concrete closeness that goes beyond the emergency and offers a long-term care and prevention path. Bari is alongside Fondazione ANT in this path, and we are particularly pleased that, thanks to the valuable support of the third sector, we will be able to offer accessible services even to the most vulnerable segments of the population. We are convinced that this initiative represents a fundamental step for our territory and we are committed to supporting Fondazione ANT so that this project can bring lasting benefits to our community, offering comfort and building a support network to those facing the difficult path of cancer disease.".

"Since 2004, the Ant Foundation has used part of the funds raised to offer free preventive visits, thus integrating the services already provided by the ASL - Said Silvia Leoni -. In particular, we carry out projects that the ASL does not provide, including the one for melanoma, thyroid and testicle, which unfortunately represents the first tumor in young people under twenty, and the breast project, which is aimed at women under 45. This new project will develop over three years with visits carried out in clinics in the area or through our mobile clinic. In Puglia, the activities will be concentrated in Bari and in the municipalities of Adelfia, Valenzano, Santeramo, Acquaviva, Mola, Casamassima and Rutigliano, for a total of 480 visits that will begin in March. The new aspect of this project is the involvement of associations that deal with people in socio-economic difficulty, we have in fact planned that approximately 20 percent of the visits will be intended for this most vulnerable segment of the population".

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this opportunity offered to all our clients. - has continued Michael Tataranni -. Incontra works in the field of poverty in various sectors, supporting homeless people and families in difficulty. We assist approximately 1.080 families in addition to 250 families from the province, for a total of over 5.000 people. Prevention is fundamental, because those who live in conditions of extreme poverty give up two fundamental things: health and education, thinking only of survival. It is therefore important to intercept these people and give them the opportunity to get treatment and undergo visits that, otherwise, they would never do".

"A value that I continue to observe and live in Ant is that of proximity: being close to those in need, those who suffer, the sick and the family unit. - has explained Alexandra Provenzano -. The foundation intervenes by offering support to the caregiver, teaching them how to stay close to the patient and how to best manage their needs. Considering the progressive aging of the population, we will increasingly need caregivers: it is therefore necessary to recognize and develop this role as a real profession.".

"The objective we are pursuing with this project is to intercept the needs of all cancer patients at every stage of the disease. - he concluded Manuela Benedict - thus responding to the sense of loneliness, social isolation and the loss of their role within their family. It is therefore essential to be present, close to people who are ill with cancer and their loved ones to alleviate emotional distress. Scientific literature highlights how a cancer diagnosis has a strong impact on the patient's psycho-physical balance, often associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression that infect the entire family system. This project focuses on the entire family unit, ensuring support that we could define as global care".

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