The lobby for young people sick and recovering from cancer was launched last night (Tuesday) in the Knesset, led by Knesset members Naama Lazimi, Iman Khativ-Yasin and Shelley Tal Miron. The lobby is designed to promote public policy to support young people who have been diagnosed with cancer.
The lobby was established at the initiative of members of the Knesset and in cooperation with the “Khalasartan” association – an association at the heart of the largest hospital community in Israel. Every day 10 young people aged 18-44 are diagnosed with cancer.
Recognizing the importance of young people as the growth engine of the economy in a social and economic aspect, the topic of employers and their support for sick workers was chosen as the first topic for the lobby.
The association “Khalasartan” created a new standard for supporting young workers who are sick and recovering from cancer, the training program and the tools for employers in the economy were presented as part of the lobby. The “Cancer Friendly” program, developed by the association, has already been implemented in leading companies in the economy, and the association continues to train managers and employers to adopt the necessary tools to create a supportive work environment.
Shiri Kontes Gilgon, a member of the Halasartan community: “Just before the events of 7.10 I was diagnosed with cancer, I am married, a young mother of two little girls under the age of 6. One of my biggest fears, along with the diagnosis, was how will we manage financially? In many organizations, sick workers are forced They leave or are fired, and they have no safety net. Thanks to the “Khalasartan” association, I was privileged to lead the “Cancer Friendly” project. and help other patients get the support they deserve.”
Zohar Jacobson, president of the Chalasartan Association: “We aim for every employer to know the standard we created and the tools that support patients and those recovering.
Shira Segal Kuperman – co-founder and CEO of Chalasartan: the stories that reach us from patients in the context of workplaces are evidence of a reality that requires change. The lobby in the Knesset is a significant step on our way to turn the “Cancer Friendly” model into a national standard across sectors.”