Department Head: Grażyna Sobol – Milejska, MD. Ph.D.

Head Nurse: Halina Zając, MA

Secretary’s office of the Department: (32) 207 17 63

email: onkohemat@gczd.katowice.pl

Number of beds: 32

Floor: 4

Medical team: 6 doctors employed on a permanent basis, including 4 specialists in pediatric oncology and hematology and 4 house officers.

The tasks of the Department of Oncology, Hematology and Chemotherapy include comprehensive diagnostics and treatment of such oncologic and hematologic diseases as:

• haematological malignancies (leukaemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin disease and others)
• all types of solid tumours (brain tumours, neuroblastoma, nephroma, sarcoma, bone tumours and others)
• hematological disorders, including:
• treatment refractory anaemia
• haemolytic anaemia
• aplastic anaemia
• thrombocytopenia and thrombocythemia and others

Department’s activity:

Around 65-75 oncological diagnoses are made each year in the department, whereas the number of patients treated in the department is two or three times higher. It is due to the fact that onclological treatment is a long-lasting process which takes from 6 to 18 months, and often even several years in case of relapse. All patients are admitted on a daily basis. The treatment is conducted in accordance with the applicable standards developed by the Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group, the Polish Pediatric Solid Tumors Group and the Polish Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Group. The Department is an official member of both these Groups and it takes part in all research programmes, under which results of these multi-center studies are published.

The most frequently diagnosed diseases are solid tumours, including tumours of the central nervous system. This is related to the epidemiology of children’s tumours, but also has to do with the activity of the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery in the structures of the Upper Silesian Child Health Centre, from which the patients after neurosurgical treatment of brain tumour are referred to the Department of Oncology for the purpose of further treatment.

The Department comes second in terms of a number of diagnosed and treated tumours of the central nervous system. This translates into the number of patients from outside the Silesian region.

While staying in the Department the patients and their families are provided with psychological support of a clinical psychologist experienced in the field of oncology (Psychologist’s Office). Psychological care is also provided at the patient’s bedside. For the purposes of the conducted motor rehabilitation, we have created a rehabilitation room with necessary rehabilitation equipment. The rehabilitation is conducted by experienced rehabilitators.

Cooperation with the Iskierka Foundation:

Thanks to the financial help offered by the Iskierka Foundation, the Department was renovated and equipped with medical devices. The foundation also shows interest in the young patients themselves and it organises for them therapeutic workshops, meetings with famous persons, leisure tours, carnival or Children’s Day parties. The foundation also helps cover the costs of the expensive home treatment.

Cooperation with the Mam Marzenie Foundation:

The foundation allows children suffering from oncological problem to forget about the disease by making their dreams come true (e.g. purchase of different equipment, organization of national and international travels, meetings with famous persons, etc.)