The TUCCA - Association for Children and Adolescents with Cancer is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 by doctors, patients and parents representatives of civil society, with the proposal to increase cure rates and improve the quality of life for disadvantaged youth with cancer.

The original name for (Brain Tumor in Children and Adolescent) is no longer used because of TUCCA has extended its operations to treat patients with all types of cancer in childhood and adolescence. Since its inception, TUCCA has helped with diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Tucca aslo helps research and training, to offer a multidisciplinary approach, in addition to exams and next-generation drugs at no cost to the patient and without queuing.

The partnership TUCCA with the pediatric oncology unit of the Hospital Santa Marcelina has lead to cure rates comparable to the main pediatric oncology centers in Europe and the United States. This data is especially relevant when faced with the fact that cancer in developing countries, killing more children than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined, and the second leading cause of infant death in Brazil, according to World Health Organization. TUCCA also works to globaly assist children and adolescents, with regard to their physical, psychological, social, educational, vocational, and legal. To this end, has a multidisciplinary team composed of oncologists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, physical therapists, speech therapists and social workers, patients and accompanying family members during cancer treatment and until they are completely well. Another distinguishing feature of TUCCA lies in sustained partnerships. The funds collected by the joint workof TUCCA with the pediatric oncology unit of Hospital Santa Marcelina is invested in the most modern in terms of diagnostics and medicines in the hospital. Patients have the service available to the NHS and all surgical and hospital facilities already held by that institution, and TUCCA acts in the completion of treatment with all drugs, procedures and examinations of art, as would be the best private hospitals in the world. The TUCCA also has a partnership with the INCTR - International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research , as a member institution, and puts into practice on the outskirts of Sao Paulo all the international guidelines INCTR in order to be considered by Dr. Ian Magrath, president of the organization as a reference for the whole world.

to know more about TUCCA, visit their website here