It’s breast cancer screening awareness month. It is the most common cancer among women. The Burgundy Franche-Comté region has one of the best screening rates : 54.1% of women between 50 and 74 years old have been screened every two years, this is 48% nationally. A figure which can be explained by the good communication of the screening centers, but also by the mobilization of associations throughout the year and in the month of October.
“It’s better than nationally, but we can always do better“, begins François Vuillemin. He has been the president of the OncoDoubs association since its creation in 2009. At the time, his wife Nicole was treated in Besançon for breast cancer by Professor Xavier Pivot. By following his advice , the couple created the OncoDoubs association to offer so-called “supportive” care to patients.Hypnosis with gentle massages and recently, at the homes of families in Besançon, adapted boxing sessions.” Care offered thanks to donations, because supportive care is not reimbursed by Social Security. However, with his wife, François realized that this is necessary care. “Our oncologists are in the treatment of the body, but the treatment without the mind is harder to achieve healing.”
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“We won’t be stopped like that”
François Vuillemin’s wife, Nicole, has been fighting breast cancer for 32 years. She saw the evolution of treatments, “Before I was told to go home and rest. Now they keep me for activities and well-being.” She is present at the various Pink October events with OncoDoubs. “Living with the disease, when I have visits every three months, there are so many people in the waiting rooms. So I want to help these people. We’re not going to stop with François, they’re not going to stop us like that.”
Together, they traveled through the Doubs and the Jura. The association has grown significantly since 2009. Today, 15 service providers provide supportive care in several hospitals in Franche-Comté. Among them, there is Élodie, socio-beautician, “through a massage, we realize that we can release many things. Trust is also built with the patient. When they trust us, we receive as much as we give, so it’s very beneficial for everyone.“
In partnership with the IRFC, the federal regional cancer institute of Franche-Comté, OncoDoubs it’s today 340 treatments offered each week to patients, but it is also:
- 80.5 hours of socio-aesthetic selves at the CHRU of Besançon, in the CHI of Pontarlier, Dole, Lons-le-Saunier and at the Polyclinique de Franche-Comté in Besançon.
- 9 hours hypnosis treatment at the CHRU of Besançon and at the Polyclinique de Franche-Comté in Besançon.
- 9 hours treatment with gentle massages at the CHRU of Besançon and at the Polyclinique de Franche-Comté in Besançon.
- 25.5 hours sessions of adapted physical activity at the CHRU of Besançon, in the CHI of Pontarlier, Dole, Lons-le-Saunier and at the Polyclinique de Franche-Comté in Besançon, at the Maison des Familles and in rooms in Poligny, Maiche, Morteau and Ornans.
- 4 hours boxing session adapted to the Maison des Familles in Besançon, almost 2 hours in Dole.
During the month of Pink October, the association organizes at least 80 events. The objective is to expand its range of activities and recruit new providers to reach up to 400 treatments offered per week.
