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DISCOVER THE GACC-RN

History of the GACC-RN

The Support Group for Children with Cancer in RN was officially constituted on June 7, 1990, through the work of volunteers who carried out decentralized visits to patients admitted to Hospital Infantil Varela Santiago (HIVS). Noticing the growing difficulties of patients and their caregivers in continuing the treatment, due to the lack of financial conditions to cover basic expenses, such as food and transport, a group of three women started to help the mothers and then rented a room, where products were collected. among friends, they were sold and the money collected reverted to help for these families. As time went by, the demand only increased. The need for a suitable place to bathe, have a snack and rest was latent. Then, in December 2002, the group rented a house next to the hospital, on Avenida Mal. Deodoro da Fonseca, renovated with the help of donations, where the GACC-RN operated until May 2006.

The house had six rooms, serving more than a hundred children, precariously divided as follows:

  • 1st Room – Bazaar;

  • 2nd Room – Board of Directors, Secretariat, Social Assistance and Psychology;

  • 3rd Room - Bedroom with two bunk beds, a crib and some mattresses

  • 4th room – Bedroom with two bunk beds, a crib and some mattresses;

  • 5th room – TV/Meeting Room;

  • 6th room – Refectory / space divided for kitchen, laundry, storage and activities with children.

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Also during this period, due to the growing demand to support families, another space was rented, located at Travessa Ponciano Barbosa, No. 282, in the Center, where a bazaar and the telemarketing sector operated, starting their activities.

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In 2005, Deodoro's house had serious structural problems. Due to the lack of space, the precarious situation of the house and the difficulty of bearing the costs of rent and other expenses, the group of volunteers and employees noticed the urgent need to carry out a campaign in favor of the acquisition of its own headquarters - it emerged so were the GACC Super Amigos and Donate o Change campaigns.

In 2006, after part of the roof collapsed, the house was purchased by Hospital Infantil Varela Santiago, which wanted to expand its oncology sector. Due to the need to vacate the house, a new space was rented: a house at Av. Jundiaí, N°453, where the entity's administrative sector, Lar Esperança (place where the children and their families stayed) began to function and the bazaar, allowing the exclusive use of telemarketing , the institution's main source of income, in the Travessa Ponciano Barbosa space.

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The house on Av. Jundiaí was adapted and served 283 children. It was composed of:

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  • Three rooms equipped with 07 bunk beds each;

  • One bathroom for children and one for adults;

  • A small area adapted as a reading room;

  • Side access to the offices (secretary, administrative management, financial sector and diaper warehouse, psychosocial, nutritional sector, pantry and "Citizen Note 10" team, in addition to supporting the other coordinations), also used as a garage and space for recreation;

  • Small kitchen without adequate structure and equipment.

  • Small cafeteria that is also used as a TV room. (not enough lockers to accommodate the belongings of children and companions);

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"Superamigo GACC" and "Donate the Change" campaigns

With the support of the local media, especially TV Cabugi and Tribuna do Norte, urging everyone to unite in favor of building the headquarters, the group launched the “SUPERAMIGO GACC” campaign. Plastic artists, businessmen and the population of Rio Grande do Sul were sensitized and contributed to the cause. The campaign also brought the sale of superhero t-shirts that was widespread in the state. The set of actions resulted in the acquisition of the land, and then the institution had the help of a group of Italians who funded the labor for the 1st phase of the work.

The group began a continuous and gradual process of institutional restructuring. The organization chart was reformulated, routines were defined and procedures were adapted to the new reality at the headquarters. Volunteers and employees were trained according to their functions. The GACC-RN received the title of Federal Public Utility from the National Council for Social Assistance (CNAS), complementing the titles previously acquired at the municipal and state level, and the Institution began to be identified as a reference in supporting those who need help to win the cancer.

With the construction campaign and all the work of administrative restructuring, other partners were added and in March 2006, through a partnership with the Union of Urban Passenger Transport Companies of the Municipality of Natal (SETURN) the campaign “ Donate the Change”. The results led, at the end of the same year, to the purchase of the 1st vehicle acquired by the Support Group for Children with Cancer, a Zero km van, 2006/2006, 1.4 engine. The Kombi replaced the 1980 model Fiat utilitarian, donated by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), which together with the volunteers' cars, until then, served to transport children and all the administrative work of the Institution.

After forming a large chain of volunteers, mothers and employees and with the support of society in general, promoting events, carrying out actions, collecting and registering invoices in the “Cidadão Nota 10” Campaign, among many other efforts undertaken, the GACC- RN, on July 18, 2009, after 19 years of existence, received the population of Rio Grande do Norte and visitors for the inauguration of the so dreamed of headquarters. The first GACC-RN headquarters brought a reduction in rental expenses, better accommodation conditions for users and companions, better working conditions for employees and dozens of volunteers, in addition to the opportunity to increase the number of beneficiaries, since the demand is growing.

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