Carmen Uscatu, President and Founding Member of Give Life, shared insights on how her organization is overcoming challenges in childhood cancer care in Romania.
Uscatu reflected on the complexity of the healthcare world and the personal limits that can block progress. “When we experience the world as ‘too complex,’ we face a mismatch between the world’s complexity and our own,” she explained. She added that solutions require either reducing complexity or expanding our capacity.
For Uscatu, the turning point came when a key radiotherapy project stalled. Despite her ambition to create the best radiotherapy center in Romania, and partnering with global experts like Prof. M. Saiful Huq, a former president of the American Association of Physicists, progress seemed halted. She realized that her personal limits had become the project’s limits and questioned daily what actions she could take to overcome the obstacles.
Refusing to give up, Uscatu pursued new knowledge and global partnerships. A Master’s in Global Child Health from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States opened doors to previously unseen possibilities. This training provided insights into advanced pediatric oncology care and strengthened her capacity to lead complex projects.
Give Life also partnered with the Prinses Máxima Centrum voor kinderoncologie in the Netherlands. With the support of Prof. Dr. Rob Pieters and his team, the Marie Curie hospital in Romania began receiving guidance from Máxima’s radiotherapy experts. This collaboration ensured the adoption of best practices in pediatric cancer treatment.
Currently, Dr. Adrian Radu, the youngest radiation oncologist on the Marie Curie team, is completing a fellowship at Máxima. Several other team members, including radiation oncologists, physicists, and technicians, are training at the center to bring advanced expertise back to Romania. These efforts are part of the country’s first Total Body Irradiation (TBI) program for children, marking a significant milestone in pediatric oncology.
This autumn, the radiotherapy department at Marie Curie Hospital will begin treating children, supported by hospital management and guided by Máxima’s world-class expertise. Every treatment will follow protocols established through this international collaboration, ensuring high-quality care for young patients.
Uscatu emphasized that the approach to overcoming complexity is rooted in personal and organizational growth. By expanding their knowledge and building strong partnerships, Give Life continues to transform childhood cancer care in Romania.
The team behind this initiative includes Iuliana Giurgiu, Remus-Cosmin Stoica, Loredana Suditu, Mihai Suditu, Alexandru Olarescu, Iolanda Lecea, Gabriela Iota, Ștefan Diaconu, and Liliac Iosif, who have all contributed to advancing the project. Special recognition also goes to Suditu Mihai Daniel and Dr. Marius Poroschianu for their support.
Give Life’s journey demonstrates how dedication, learning, and collaboration can overcome obstacles in complex healthcare systems. By combining global expertise with local commitment, the organization is setting new standards in childhood cancer care in Romania.
Uscatu concluded that the success of the initiative reflects a broader lesson: facing the world’s complexity requires growing our own capacity. Through continuous learning, global partnerships, and relentless hope, Give Life is reshaping pediatric oncology care for Romania’s children.
