In Pediatric Oncology, young man's birthday is marked by tribute from Federal Police agents
Hospitalized for cancer treatment, 16-year-old João Vitor from Marabá received a visit from the professionals he admires so much
In ward 208-A of the Octávio Lobo Children's Oncology Hospital (Hoiol) in Belém, the 16th birthday of patient João Vitor Souza was different from all previous ones. Instead of the traditional party with family and friends, the teenager celebrated alongside his mother, Francisca dos Santos, the medical team, and agents from the Federal Police (PF), a profession he has wanted to pursue since childhood.
The party was a surprise. João did not know that the Humanization department of the unit had prepared something special. Much less that federal police officers would join in the birthday chorus. "First of all, thank you for coming. It was a dream come true. I never thought I would celebrate my birthday like this," said the teenager, with a shy smile on his face.
Diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer, João has been undergoing oncological treatment for four months. Even amidst the pain and uncertainties brought by cancer, his dream of becoming a police officer remains strong. He shares that what inspires him most about the uniform is the organization and the desire to protect society. "To be a good police officer, you need knowledge, courage, and character," he stated confidently.
Surprise - The choice of the party theme came up during a conversation with Bianca Dominguez, a member of the Humanization team at the Children's Oncology Hospital. When asked what he would like for the celebration, João dismissed superheroes, football teams, and famous players. "He was surprised by the idea of having a party just for him inside the ward. When I asked about themes of interest, he mentioned that his dream is to be a public security agent. Upon hearing this wish, I remembered a police friend and, with the authorization and support of our management, we organized everything. He knew nothing, not even suspected. It was beautiful to see his surprise and joy at that moment," Bianca recounted.
And that’s how the fingerprint experts from the PF, Bruno Portugal, Heitor Ramos, and Jéssica Rivas, met João and learned about the work being done at Hoiol. "We are happy that he sees us as a reference. This shows us that our role goes beyond investigation. We can inspire, welcome, and motivate," said Portugal. "It was gratifying. In our daily work, we focus on investigations. But moments like this show that we also have a sensitive, human role," added Ramos.
Emotional, the birthday boy's mother closely followed everything. A nurse by profession, she has also been João's primary caregiver during his hospitalization. "We are far from family, from our home, from friends. So, seeing the party they organized for my son and seeing him happy and fulfilled was like breathing after a long time. I am at a loss for words to thank everyone who did this for him. It was perfect," Francisca stated. "This admiration deeply touches us," added agent Jéssica.
In addition to bedside birthdays, the Octávio Lobo Hospital develops other projects that transform the hospital routine, such as "Little Chefs," which involves patients in cooking workshops. These initiatives are part of a comprehensive care policy. Through the humanization department, patients have their wishes heard and, whenever possible, fulfilled. "It’s not about the party. It’s about saying: ‘you matter, your dream matters, your story is worth celebrating,’" summarized Bianca.
Service - Accredited as a High Complexity Unit in Oncology, the Octávio Lobo Children's Oncology Hospital is a reference in the Northern region for the diagnosis and specialized treatment of childhood and adolescent cancer, for ages 0 to 19 years. The unit is managed by the Instituto Diretrizes (ID), under a management contract with the State Department of Public Health, and serves patients from the 144 municipalities of Pará and neighboring states.
Text: Ellyson Ramos - Ascom Hoiol
