Hungary
Gyógyulj Velünk Egyesület
(in English): Recovering Together.

Goals of the Association

Recovering Together Association is devoted to raising the awareness of the whole society on cancer diseases of the digestive system and to help patients suffering from these diseases in all possible ways. The association was established in April 2012.

Every year there are about 19,000 new patients diagnosed with different types of cancer of the digestive system. This diagnosis put enormous burden not only on the patients and their families but on the whole nation of Hungary. However, today's treatment options offer more hope and effective curing methods giving the opportunity for recovery and improvement of the quality of life of patients in almost every phase of their lives.

Tools of our Association

The Association organises several events where members can help each other and get information regarding any aspects of challanges arising while fighting against cancer. Our association also provides a forum where the voices of patinets can be heard.

Patients suffering from these diseases are grateful for any help. The proficient and advanced medical care is essential for recovery. Besides the help of family and friends, the community of The Association can also support the healing process.

Anyone wishing to provide active help is welcome as well as others that are willing to express their support in any form.

Short history

The Association started to recruit members on a big event where the importance of active patient participation was discussed. Since then, they have been organising regular events on different topics (e.g. psychooncology, dietetics, meeting with physicians and nurses, etc.) helping patients and their relatives. Because of these events and increased media presence, only a year after the establishement of The Association, we had 263 members and this number continues to grow.

In November 2012, The Association participated on the Conference of the Hungarian Society of Medical Oncology’s patients day. There was also a press conference together with the presidents of the Society and a member of the Hungarian Parliament. After this event there were several media appearances and in December The Association expressed its unambiguous opinion concerning some plans that were supposed to cut the availability of different treatment options for colorectal cancer patients. Fortunately, these plans have been reinvestigated, which brought huge relief for the patients affected by colorectal cancer. Although The Association is devoted to the cancer patients of all the digestive system, the  most of our members are colorectal cancer patients. 

ECCAM 2015

Every year, European Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (ECCAM) is marked by Recovering Together Association (GYVE). 

In March 2015, a summary article on colorectal cancer (CRC), written by two physicians at our clinique, and edited by us appeared on our website:

http://www.gyve.hu/betegsegek/vastag-es-vegbeldaganatok

Other activities were the following:

  • On March 26th there was a gathering, where our members could listen to a lecture about patients' rights by the regional Patients' Rights Representative, with a Q&A section following.
  • GYVE is starting a research, together with a pharma company about the way people experience their cancer illness. 
  • GYVE’s President gave a long (one hour) interview for state television on the occasion of ECCAM.



2013 Developments

The top 3 goals for 2013 were:
1. Expand memberships and organise events – The organisation has started to organise and run more subgroups besides the regular monthly afternoons for the whole membership.
2.By the help of media, the organisation aims to introduce widely, to the general public, the problems and life of the patients and their families. This is very important for raising the awareness of these diseases. There were more than 100 appearances of The Association in all types of media till March 2013.
3.Continue with the lobbying for the patients. An extraordinary event was a joint press conference of the president of Recovering Together Association together with Dr. Kálmán Nagy, a member of the Hungarian Parliament, who is a distinguished member of the Health Committee. The press conference was held on the 25th of March 2013 in the main building of the Hungarian Parliament.
 

2013 Activities 

  • "Send your experience concerning your colonoscopy to us" - campaign for screening
     
  • Joint press conference with Dr. Kálmán Nagy, member of the Hungarian Parliament, member of the Health Committee in the main press room of the building of the Hungarian Parliament
     
  • Raising awareness and campaign for introduction of national screening programmes - Pictures
     
  • Conducting a research on the awareness and interest of students on cancer and care at the biggest Hungarian university of Medical Studies
     
  • Every month there is a talk on important topics for the members of The Association (more than 260 at the moment) - in March: "How media and advertisment techniques work - cancer patients are in target". The speech was given by our press spokesman, Laszlo B. Papp, who has recently been awarded the prize of "Health journalism expert of the year 2012")   - Pictures

  • Several media appearances have been performed (radio interviews, online and offline articles). Some more important ones are the following:
  • The biggest news channel prepared a 30 minute introduction of The Association - a distinguished expert in Oncology and two members of our Association discussed colorectal cancer and the present situation in Hungary. 
     
  • At the beginning of April, the biggest TV channel in Hungary prepared a short documentary on The Association in relation to the European Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

ECCAM 2014 

  • 1st of March: GyVE together with Hungarian Society of Clinical Oncology and Health Section of the Association of Hungarian Journalists, launched a media competition, that should last all year, with the prizes for journalists who write about colorectal cancer. In this video (in Hungarian) you can see GyVE President dr. István Lakos, announcing the competition.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxlXmZ9Yo4Y

  • 24th March: there was a half-hour program at the first national public radio program (Kossuth Rádió) about European Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the issue surrounding the colorectal cancer in Hungary. Participants were Professor of Oncology, György  Bodoky, Professor of Pathology, László Kopper, Ms. Magda Rohánszky  oncopsychologist and  Dr. István Lakos, President of GyVE. The program has been repeated twice.
     
  • 27th March: The group had their monthly get-together devoted to the topic "Pain relieving in the treatment of colon cancer". A specialist doctor gave a lecture.



Contact

Mobile: +36-309227797 
E-mail: [email protected] 
Website: www.gyve.hu
President: Dr Istvan Lakos. 
Secretary: Kriszta Szep


Links (in Hungarian)

http://www.szekesfehervarihirek.hu/rovid-hirek/vastagbelrak-orulunk-annak-hogy-megkaphatjuk-a-kezeleseket/

MTI
http://www.os.mti.hu/hirek/80937/a_gyogyulj_velunk_egyesulet_kozlemenye-1_resz
 
Medical Online
http://www.medicalonline.hu/gyogyitas/cikk/ha_elveszik_a_gyogyszerunket__hamarabb_kell_meghalnunk
 
Weborvos
http://www.weborvos.hu/egeszsegpolitika/hamarabb_meg_fogunk_halni_tiltakoznak/199285/
 
WeborvosPRO
http://www.weborvospro.hu/cikkek/egeszsegpolitika/hamarabbmegfogunkhalni-tiltakoznakabetegek.html
 
Napidoktor.hu
http://napidoktor.hu/cikk/100.21998/Meghalunk-ha-elveszik-a-gyogyszerunk
 
Daganatok.hu
http://daganatok.hu/betegellatas/gyogyulj-velunk-egyesulet-ne-szukitsek-tovabb-a-celzott-kezelesek-alkalmazhatosagi-koret
 
Székesfehérvári Hírek
http://www.szekesfehervarihirek.hu/rovid-hirek/ha-elveszik-a-gyogyszerunket-hamarabb-kell-meghalnunk/
 
Hír24.hu
http://www.hir24.hu/belfold/2012/12/13/nem-a-rakosok-ellen-hanem-epp-ertuk-lesz-gyogyszerelvonas/
 
Szeged.hir24.hu
http://szeged.hir24.hu/itthonvilag/2012/12/13/ha-elveszik-a-gyogyszerunket-hamarabb-kell-meghalnunk/
 
Magángyógyszerészek.hu
http://www.magangyogyszereszek.hu/index.php?pid=2710&set=0
 
Napiforrás.hu
http://napiforras.hu/hir/Meghalunk_ha_elveszik_a_gyogyszer%C3%BCnk-548132
 
Klubradio.hu
http://www.klubradio.hu/cikk.php?id=16&cid=150507
 
Hírszemle.net
http://hirszemle.net/article/meghalunk-ha-elveszik-gyogyszerunk
 
Dunakeszi Hírek
http://www.dunakeszihirek.hu/rovid-hirek/ha-elveszik-a-gyogyszerunket-hamarabb-kell-meghalnunk/
 
Somogy TV
http://www.somogytv.hu/cikkek/88789



Several photos from the events

https://plus.google.com/u/2/photos/116806470340144330515/albums/5833722371725083057?authkey=CJHlo8uzqdaFtQE

https://plus.google.com/u/2/photos/116806470340144330515/albums/5792418520959299633?authkey=CLue1YOC2s3RuQE

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/o7sg1nmgjtax6tu/7J8n4wleJ-#/

Registration No: 5314195 Registered Office: 92 Palatine Road, London N16 8ST.