BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. Leyla Aliyeva,
Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, attended the
opening ceremony of the 2nd International Congress on Childhood
Oncology, held under the motto “From Cure to Quality of Life” in
Samarkand as part of the World Summit on Investing in Children’s
Well-being.
In her address, Leyla Aliyeva expressed her gratitude to the
organizers for the excellent organization of the congress and
emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the fight
against childhood cancer.
“Every child deserves respect, care and the chance to lead a
fulfilling life,” Leyla Aliyeva emphasized. She noted that, despite
progress in cancer treatment, continued joint efforts worldwide are
essential to sustaining hope for children battling cancer and their
families.
“We are committed to helping children around the world and
giving them hope. This issue is also a priority in Azerbaijan. The
Children's Oncology Clinic was opened in our country in March 2012.
It is the first pediatric clinic of the National Center of Oncology
in the region,” she added.
Leyla Aliyeva also underscored the importance of initiatives
that bring together pediatric oncology specialists and
organizations, describing the establishment of a coalition to fight
childhood cancer as another significant step forward.
Referring to the support available to children with cancer in
Azerbaijan, she noted that their medical treatment is funded by the
state and that assistance to children and their families continues.
She emphasized that no one should have to face this difficult
ordeal alone.
Highlighting the connection between emotional and physical
well-being, Leyla Aliyeva noted: “As we continue our research into
cancer, we must not overlook the emotional aspects of health. The
link between the brain and the body is profound. Further research
is needed to understand how emotional trauma, stress and
environmental factors influence our health.”
Leyla Aliyeva stressed that children are particularly sensitive
to their surroundings and are significantly affected by their
parents’ emotional well-being and the atmosphere at home. “As Ibn
Sina noted, when treating a disease, we must take its causes into
account,” she underscored.
She also highlighted the importance of providing psychological
support to children alongside advances in medical treatment,
emphasizing the need to ensure that every child feels loved,
respected and understood.
In her closing remarks, Leyla Aliyeva expressed her gratitude to
all those working to improve children's quality of life. She
stressed that children should not only receive the necessary
medical care but also have the opportunity to live full and
fulfilling lives.
Other speakers at the opening ceremony of the 2nd International
Congress on Childhood Oncology included Tamila Aliyeva, Deputy Head
of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan for Healthcare
Reform; Kazakhstan's Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova; and
Kyrgyzstan's Health Minister Damirbek Osmonov.
