On December 11, São Luís celebrated a day that will remain marked in the history of the fight against cancer in Maranhão. Attached to the Genésio Rego Hospital, in Vila Palmeira, the new Radiotherapy Center of Maranhão was inaugurated, a health establishment which now houses a linear accelerator for radiotherapy.
This is a historic achievement that will significantly increase the capacity of cancer treatment services in Maranhão and has been made possible thanks to the partnership between the State Government and the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health – a concrete gesture of humanization of public management that brings more dignity and hope to thousands of lives.
The delivery of the linear accelerator to São Luís is part of a more important moment of advancement of federal policy to combat cancer: at the same time, five other high-tech equipment were inaugurated simultaneously in different Brazilian cities — Itabira (MG), Goiânia (GO), Marília (SP) and Colatina (ES) — and announced in a ceremony presided over by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by videoconference directly from Itabira.
President Lula recalled that expanding the provision of care for cancer patients brings treatment closer to those who need it most, thus reducing waiting times and distances that, for a long time, have led to additional suffering for patients and their families. Each of these facilities has the capacity to treat up to 600 new patients per year.
Delivery ceremony
Moved, Governor Carlos Brandão recalled his own father’s fight against cancer, paid tribute to the sensitivity of President Lula and paid tribute to public health professionals: “servants who work tirelessly, with love and commitment”.
The inauguration in São Luís was not just the delivery of a physical structure – it was a moment of emotion and hope for those who have already overcome difficult battles and for those who still walk this path with courage.
Radiotherapy, now more accessible, is above all a gesture of care which results in concrete public aid policies.
Circulating around the unit, Governor Carlos Brandão made a point of ringing the victory bell – as part of a ritual celebrating the end of a cycle of cancer treatment. The sound that invades the rooms of the unit signals the relief and joy of families who leave difficult days behind them, but also encourages those who are still in the middle of the path, reminding that each session is a step towards health and the return to dreams.
Government of Maranhão
Instagram | Facebook
About The Author
