Words are not enough, it is action that is needed when it comes to dealing with cancer patients, said President George Abela while visiting the children at Rainbow Ward yesterday.

The President was visiting the ward at Mater Dei in a bid to raise awareness of the children cancer support group, Puttinu Cares. The plight of these children was something very dear to him and his wife, as well as to the Malta Community Chest Fund. (MCCF), he said.

The aim of the staff at Rainbow Ward was to create an environment which would make the children’s stay as comfortable as possible, said Puttinu Cares activity organiser, Rennie Zerafa.

Mr Zerafa said they tried to create a homely environment, and this was possible thanks to the help of sponsors and a number of kind souls. They had six rooms equipped with whatever one might need, including a Playstation 3, a Nintendo Wii, a flat screen television and a DVD player.

Victor Calvagna, ward consultant, said the ward had to be equipped to carry out this difficult task, but this would not be possible without the dedication of the medical staff, nurses, helpers and volunteers.

Dr Calvagna added that what they hope for now is a larger ward, which they hope will become a reality as the plans for a larger ward for cancer patients within Mater Dei take shape.

Dr Abela said that at the end of the day, it is financial aid that could drastically improve the quality of life of these patients, and it is important to remember that. He praised initiatives like the recent Rockestra, a rock concert which was organised in aid of MCCF.

Rockestra was a major success, he pointed out. In fact, practically all the money that was raised through this initiative has gone towards a single patient. That is their aim, he said, to improve the quality of life of their patients.