AHPAS (pronounced 'a paz', that means 'peace' in portughese) is a non-profit organization (NPO), serving the public interest,that was founded in 1999. Its main objective is to provide free specialized transportation service on a regular basis to young needy patients with cancer during their medical treatment period in São Paulo. AHPAS's mission is to improve the life quality of those young people during a very difficult period, making their trips to hospital less stressful and the prospect of undergoing treatment less painful. By providing free transportation, AHPAS also wants to minimize the chances that patients give up treatment due to transportation difficulties in a city like São Paulo, where the poor live increasingly far from downtown areas in which specialized hospitals are located. AHPAS assists primarily cases of amputees, young people with brain tumor that can no longer move and terminal patients.

The idea of founding AHPAS has arisen from the need that two parents had to renew the meaning of life after the death of their five-year-old-daughter, Helena, who died of cancer. During the disease treatment routine, these parents witnessed the lack of free specialized transportation service, which made them realize how this kind of service could help poor families whose children would undergo a regular treatment for several months. After all, what is the point of having the latest treatments available in specialized public hospitals if the patient has no easy access to them?

AHPAS carries out its work in this way: first, a driver (or a volunteer driver, when needed) goes to the house of a young patient who is under medical treatment and usually lives in favelas - kind of slums on the outskirts of São Paulo that sometimes are more than 50km far from downtown area. Then, pick him up, help to accommodate him in the vehicle and chat with him and his companion to make them feel comfortable and encouraged to go through the day. In general, besides a well-trained driver, we count with the presence of a volunteer who is psychologically prepared in order to make the ride more comfortable. It is offered snack with juice and water to the patients because the routes are too long. In addition, they receive pillows and blanket for cold days. Toys, music, movies, magazines and books are also available for their entertainment. However, there are situations where silence is fundamental as the patient is too tired or unwell, preferring to sleep or stay quiet supported by his companion (generally the mother). After reaching hospital, the driver and the volunteer help the patient to leave the vehicle. At the end of treatment, the driver or volunteer driver will pick him up at the hospital and drive him back home. During chemotherapy, it is common for the patient to get sick and feels like vomiting, so we provide plastic bags and paper towels and emotional support.

Sometimes, unfortunately, the child or adolescent succumbs to his disease and passes away, causing a deep pain in the family, especially in the mother, that it will take some years to diminish. At this time, parents are feeling alone and helpless, they need to talk about their child and find something in the memory of past events to help them go on with their lives. In this phase, the family can also count on AHPAS assistance that has already organized a support group for parents who lost their children with the sole purpose of helping them express themselves. Thus, some days after the funeral, if the family wants, they will receive a visit from a volunteer of AHPAS. Then, parents can attend monthly meetings where participants talk to each other, share their stories, talk about their beloved children and participate in activities proposed by the group.

Thus, the effect of love and dedication has been very good. Representatives of hospitals recognize a general improvement in health conditions of children and teenagers who are assisted by AHPAS, which means they feel stronger to go to the hospital for treatment. The families feel more secure and calmer, because they know they will not have to spend money with private transportation and their children will not face the difficulties of public transport. Furthermore, the patients are happy because they are treated with respect, affection and friendship and the parents who have lost their children will have a place to go and talk about their mourning. Patient and family feel welcomed, accepted and physically and financially supported.

Due to the relevance of the service provided, AHPAS was declared a Municipal Public Utility organization, based on the ordinance 44.945/2004, and a State Public Utility organization based on the ordinance 11.955/2005. For being in accordance with the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA - Federal Law 8.069/90), AHPAS was registered in the Municipal Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents, in 2009, under the number 1463/09. It is a Partner Organization of the Centro de Voluntariado de São Paulo (Volunteer Center of São Paulo).

Donations:

1. Call (55) (11) 5535-2726 to became a regular donator

2. For sporadic donations, deposit the amount you wish in one of the current accounts below in name of AHPAS – Associação Helena Piccardi de Andrade Silva, São Paulo, Brazil:

Itaú
Branch # (Agência): 0445
CC. 09697-7

Bradesco
Branch # (Agência):
450-2 CC. 123691-1