"We were left alone": The families struggling for their children's rehabilitation after cancer recovery
About 70% of children recovering from cancer do not receive essential rehabilitation treatments on time due to a shortage of therapists and available appointments. Long waiting times, distance from rehabilitation centers, and a lack of adapted solutions burden families and harm the recovery process.
Every year, about 400 children in Israel are diagnosed with cancer. After completing their primary hospital treatments—such as radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, biological drugs, or bone marrow transplants—these young patients require ongoing rehabilitation. For months or even years, they need support in motor, physical, neurological, and mental-emotional fields to recover from the lasting effects of both the disease and the treatment.
However, new data reveals that approximately 70% of these children fail to receive timely care due to a shortage of specialists within the HMOs (Kupot Holim). Many families are forced to abandon rehabilitation entirely, while others must travel over 65 km to reach a clinic. Both doctors and parents confirm a severe shortage of pediatric rehabilitation services across the country.
Findings from the "Gdolim Me-Ha-Chaim" Survey
A survey conducted by the "Gdolim Me-Ha-Chaim" (Bigger Than Life) association, which supports children with cancer, highlights the scale of the crisis. Among the 150 families surveyed, 70% reported that hospital treatments lasted between six months and two years. The most common diagnoses were brain tumors (31%), leukemia (26%), and bone or muscle sarcomas (23%).
Key survey findings:
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70% of parents report a lack of available appointments for rehabilitation.
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10% are forced to travel to clinics too far from their homes.
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17% of parents have given up on trying to book appointments.
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78% of families describe the rehabilitation process as a significant burden, with 4.2% forced to stop treatment altogether.
Despite these hurdles, 75% of parents noted that the rehabilitation treatments had a positive impact on their children, and 60% expressed satisfaction with the quality of care received.
"Every parent is left alone in the battle"
Nurit Amitai-Gofan from Rehovot, whose son Ran recovered from a brain tumor a decade ago, shares her experience: "When we finished treatment at Schneider Children's Hospital, the oncologist warned us that we would be left alone. Ten years later, we understand what she meant. Ran still faces challenges such as hearing impairment, slower data processing, difficulty finding words, and physical clumsiness. There is no medical coordinator to guide us through the rehabilitation process. Parents are left to navigate the system alone, often wasting time and resources on treatments that don't suit their child's specific needs."
Meital, mother of 15-year-old Noya, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2025, adds: "Finishing chemotherapy is not the end of the struggle. A complex phase of physical and mental rehabilitation begins. The 'Gdolim Me-Ha-Chaim' association is the only organization that continues to support us even two years after recovery."
Efrat Lichtman, CEO of the association, emphasizes: "Parents describe a fragmented system with no single point of contact. True success is measured not just by saving a life, but by the ability to restore a child's quality of life and potential."
The Ministry of Health responded: "The Ministry is implementing a national rehabilitation program with an investment of over 250 million shekels. This includes expanding rehabilitation beds, opening new centers at Hadassah Mount Scopus and Poriya Hospital, and increasing support for specialized medical staff. We are working closely with HMOs and hospitals to ensure that every child in need receives professional, high-quality, and accessible care."
