About us
Casa Maria Helena Paulina is a non-governmental organization from Sao Paulo founded in 1992 that shelters children with cancer - and other diseases - and their carers. They come from different Brazilian states to Sao Paulo looking for a infrastructure for the treatment that fits to their needs. When these families arrive, they have to face a reality as difficult as the treatment itself: lack of money, lack of information and lack of conditions to be mantained in the city during the treatment, which can last for months.
The diagnosis and the treatment out of their residence interfere in the equilibrium and the wellbeing of the patient. Having this in mind, the job of the Casa is to take care of people, making their stay the best possible one, as if they were in their own home.
This way, Casa Maria Helena Paulina offers shelter, food, psicological help, higiene products and the most diverse activities, as it is also worried about a healthy coexistence, helping the wellbeing and the quality of life.
Mission, Vision and Values
MISSION
Contributing to the health, dignity and quality of life of the under-ages that lack medical treatment and their families, who have come from other cities.
VISION
Pursue a continuous improvement of the offered services, having as a goal the wellbeing of the patients and their families, reaching or exceeding their expectations.
VALUES
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Respect
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Equilibrium
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Justice
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Ethical Behaviour
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Compromise
Learn about our history
In 1992, Casa Maria Helena Paulina opens its doors. The dream of this nurse, also a victim of cancer, becomes reality.
Mrs. Maria Helena Paulina was a nurse of the Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo and when retiring she found out she had breast cancer. During her treatment, she found out a really common problem: the one of the families that came to São Paulo to receive the medical treatment and, because of having a low rent, didn´t have enough resources to live in the city.
In that time, there were only two support houses in the capital, which didn’t supply the necessities and many people spent the night in the streets and under the viaduct. Knowing how the support houses
worked and with enough information, Maria Helena and her two cousins, Marina and Regina, decided to create a new institution, so that these people wouldn’t stay in so subhuman conditions during the treatment, which not only could be delayed, but it also required diverse cares.
Initially the house operated with the work of the two cousins and other people that had also lost a loved one and were also supportive to the cause. In 1998, the Casa went to be periodically supervised by the Vara da Infância e da Juventude do Fórum /regional de Pinheiros, process nº 900196/6 and it was registered in the Conselho Municipal dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente sob no. 824/CMDCA/1999.
Nowadays, the Casa houses approximately 20 patients and their carers, 40 people in total, in a rotating scheme.
Our Team
All the work at the Casa is only possible thanks to the merge of this team.
Director:
Marina Marcondes Katumata
Collaborators:
Jeisson de Oliveira Silva
Katia Araujo dos Santos
Leandro Yoshio Marcondes Katumata
Margarida Gonçalves de Sousa
Maria Regina Marcondes Camargo
Renata Gianizella
Tânia de Cássia Antunes
Our Activities
To guarantee a better treatment of our patients, we provide various activities for the patients and their carers.
Among those activities, we carry out monthly visits and walks, and weekly we rely on the help of our volunteers.
We have the support of our psychologist Bruno Gianfrancesco, who carries out a treatment with the patients and carers four times a week.
The support of the psychologist is very important, since it can help a lot in the building of inner power so that the patient faces the treatment, his/her fears and even the side effects caused.
We have the support of two volunteers, Zuleica and Carmen, who carry out entertainment activities with the kids two times a week.
During child treatments is really important to keep the entertainment activities so they manage to face the treatment and feel like real kids.
Studies show that games help the development of numerous habilities of a child.
We have the support of a volunteer, Helen Figueiredo, who carries out artisanal crafts with the mothers every wednesday.
During the kids’ treament, parents need activities to relax and to learn about our activities, so they have the strenght to be with their children.
Our Structure
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The Casa has 3 floors, which are distributed in:
- 11 rooms for patients (4 suites and collectives and 7 singles),
- 2 kitchens (the main one and a support one),
- Laundry / Barbecue,
- Nursery, library and game room,
- TV room, assistance room (psychological and therapeutic),
- Secretary's office and management room.
Around 60 people are looked after monthly (adding patients and carers).
All the activities of the institution are maintained thanks to the various donations and to out permanent bazaar in the garage of the Casa!
