Saverne: A bubble of well-being for cancer patients at the hospital

"We've had this project in the pipeline for a few years now," recalled Mélanie Viatoux , director of the Saverne-Sarrebourg hospital group. For over a month now, a former doctor's on-call room has been transformed into a wellness space, the design of which was overseen by the team at the Saverne day hospital. This human investment is particularly visible in the choice of decoration and equipment. "This project demonstrates the dynamism of this medical and care team," the director rightly praised.

It took two and a half months of work to give this room a reassuring and cozy feel. "We wanted a place that was as little reminiscent of a hospital and care as possible," said Dr. Anne-Céline Dumenil. "That was the starting point for our thinking." Not so long ago, supportive care for patients affected by cancer (digestive, lung, or breast) was held on the ground floor of the day hospital, often in the medical consultation room where the patient learned about the disease. Osteopathy, socio-aesthetic therapy, and reflexology (plantar, palmar, and cranial) sessions are now held in a soothing environment, lying beneath a false ceiling depicting a blue sky dotted with clouds.

Initial impressions quickly confirmed the hospital team's decision. According to socio-esthetician Séverine Toth, people don't feel like they're in a hospital. "They really manage to disconnect and refocus on themselves," the professional observed. Within these four walls, "relaxation" and "reappropriation of the body" are the focus, according to healthcare manager Nadège Hironimus. These moments, like a parenthesis in the care pathway, should "reenergize the patient." In this space, "they can put down whatever they want," she adds, determined, alongside her colleagues, to "increase the volume of this supportive care." Hypnosis and sophrology are among the avenues for the future.

To give a new look to this place dedicated to well-being, around 13,000 euros were invested, a sum coming from donations from various events organized on the occasion of Pink October, notably the Savernoise .

In addition to a table, a massage chair is also available. "A nursing assistant has started training," Nadège Hironimus added. "She will complete her training in September." And the final word goes to the department manager, Élisabeth Wurtz. "It's a wonderful team," she said, noting their unwavering commitment.