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. 2024 Jun;110(3):209-211.
doi: 10.1177/03008916231214220. Epub 2023 Nov 30.

I was only sixteen

Andrea Ferrari  1 , Matteo Silva  1 , Alice Patriccioli  1 , Stefano Signoroni  2 , Maura Massimino  1
Affiliations

I was only sixteen

Andrea Ferrari et al. Tumori. 2024 Jun.

Abstract

This short piece describes a new project developed by the adolescent patients with cancer involved in the Youth Project at the Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan, Italy. This is a scheme dedicated to young cancer patients with the dual aim of optimizing medical aspects of their care and promoting a holistic approach to their needs. "I was only sixteen" is a ballad, written in English by the patients, that became a song with the help of professional musicians (and among them international star Tony Hadley, former frontman of Spandau Ballet). This song sounds like hymn to life for teenagers with cancer in the world. It emphasizes again the value of giving young patients novel creative ways to express themselves.

Keywords: Youth Project; adolescents; art; cancer; music; psychological support; young adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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