The aim of the Initiative krebskranke Kinder München e.V. is to relieve the burden on children with cancer and their families by providing a wide range of support services – both during the acute illness and in the years afterwards. The broad spectrum of support offered ranges from immediate financial aid to the provision of personnel and material equipment for the children’s cancer ward, parents’ apartments close to the clinic and extensive psychosocial aftercare activities. All of these services ensure the quality of care for patients and improve the quality of life for families during this difficult time.

At the time, visiting restrictions due to the pandemic and the resulting increased isolation made everyday hospital life more difficult. This was compounded by a worsening staff shortage, which placed a significant additional burden on staff, especially the psychosocial team. Psychological support is absolutely essential during the entire period of acute therapy (approx. 6 to 12 months), also because there are repeated crisis situations that are often life-threatening. Despite the good chances of survival, the entire path is always a tightrope walk that is fraught with great fear.

Moving Child supported the initiative until 2024 by (partially) financing a psychologist position in the pediatric cancer ward at Munich Clinic Schwabing. The psychologist works systemically and focuses on the whole family. In 2025, there was very good news: the psychologist’s position was taken over by the health insurance company. With the funding that this freed up, Moving Child supported the creation of a position for sports therapy. This helps the children enormously to stay active and find joy and fun despite the enormous stress of cancer treatment. Sports therapy at the IKKM can look back on a very successful year: with over 160 different children and adolescents, almost 27,000 minutes of exercise were accumulated in over 1,000 sports sessions on the ward and in the day clinic.