IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEER STUDENTS IN CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER IN SUPPORT HOMES

Abstract

Childhood cancer is a chronic disease that is associated with an imminent risk of death. Therapeutics are located in large cities that have Specialized Oncology Centers. It is in this context that Support Houses become important for children and their families who do not have the financial means to support themselves. The playfulness that is typical of childhood provides moments of distraction and well-being in the various activities that are capable of instigating the imagination. This work aims to report the experience of nursing students about the impact of volunteering in a support house. This is a descriptive study, developed from the experience of nursing students during volunteer activities in a support house for children with cancer and their families in João Pessoa-Paraíba, from October 2023 to April 2024. The playful actions were offered to children aged 6 to 12 years, individually or collectively and with the integration of parents at the time of care. After describing the experience, it was possible to identify three moments: caring through play; cultivating bonds with the child and their family; satisfaction in caring. Voluntary care for children with cancer contributed to the deepening of human skills essential to nursing practice, as well as broadening the student's perspective on the implementation of humanistic approaches to care in pediatric oncology.