Speaker
Description
Introduction: Children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment often experience physical deconditioning, emotional distress, and reduced engagement in physical activity. Integrating movement-based interventions into outpatient oncology care may help mitigate these effects while promoting a more humanized healthcare environment. The ATIVAONCO Project was created to promote adapted physical activity for children and adolescents undergoing outpatient cancer treatment, aiming to reduce physical and emotional effects and transform the hospital environment into a more welcoming and active space. Method: This qualitative, observational study is based on professional records, systematic observations, and reports from children, adolescents, and family members describing the experience of the ATIVAONCO Project implemented in the pediatric oncology outpatient clinic of the Joana de Gusmão Children’s Hospital, Brazil. Interventions take place twice a week in the family room and integrate playful activities, motor exercises, and health education actions directed at parents and caregivers. Activities include motor circuits, cooperative games, light exercises, and themed proposals adapted to individual needs. Results: Between 2023 and 2024, more than 200 children participated in the sessions; in 2025, the program reached 320 children, with an average of 8 to 12 participants per session. Improvements were observed in socialization, increased physical disposition, reduced anxiety related to the hospital environment, and strengthened bonds between the multidisciplinary team, patients, and families. The presence of Physical Education professionals proved essential for integrating physical, emotional, and educational dimensions into care, allowing safe interventions tailored to participants’ clinical conditions. Conclusion: The project demonstrates that systematic implementation of adapted physical activity in hospital environments is feasible, safe, and effective, contributing to a more humanized pediatric oncology experience. Continuation and expansion of the project are recommended, as well as longitudinal studies to support public policies incorporating physical activity into pediatric oncology care.
Keywords
Childhood Cancer; Exercise; Health Promotion; Hospitalization
| Abstract submitters declaration | yes |
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| Conflict of Interest & Ethical Approval | yes |
