When the fight against cancer also takes place outside the hospital walls. A place for listening, support, and guidance, the Maison Axel Kahn was officially inaugurated this Friday, January 23rd, in Nice. Sponsored by the Alpes-Maritimes League Against Cancer and supported by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, this structure aims to be a warm and human refuge for people affected by the disease and their loved ones.
Visited by Renaud Muselier, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region alongside Christian Estrosi, president of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur and mayor of Nice. Also present were the Volunteer President of the Alpes-Maritimes Departmental Committee of the League Against Cancer, Laurence Cressin-Bensa, and many institutional and associative actors engaged in the fight against the disease.
Asked about the importance of his presence during this official visit, Renaud Muselier reaffirmed his personal and professional commitment: “I am a doctor. My culture is to turn to those who know how to heal, who know how to consider those who suffer.” After discovering the premises, the regional president praised the quality of the reception and the work carried out on the ground: “Here, I saw a strong, structured, organized, and caring team, with clean and bright facilities designed to bring harmony to people facing a fundamentally unsettling, sometimes terrifying word: cancer.”
A major health challenge in the Southern region
The opportunity to recall a concerning reality. In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, 12,000 people die each year from cancer, making up 27% of deaths. The region also lags behind in screening, particularly by ten points for breast cancer compared to the national average. “Anything that moves towards protection, screening, care, and support, I support and assist,” emphasized Renaud Muselier.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region funded the equipment of the Maison Axel Kahn with 50,000 euros, supplemented by 20,000 euros for daily activities and 15,000 euros to support actions for sick women wishing to undertake initiatives. “The public money invested here is well invested. It goes to people mobilized against the disease,” affirmed the regional president. “We are not in the hospital; we are here for them.” The Volunteer President of the Alpes-Maritimes Departmental Committee of the League Against Cancer, Laurence Cressin-Bensa, wanted to directly address those who might hesitate to step through the door of the Maison Axel Kahn: “We are here for them. We are waiting for them. And it makes all the difference once they come, once they walk through the door.” She emphasized the philosophy of the place: “Here, we are not at the hospital. That’s why we wanted a warm location. We take care of them, listen to them, comfort them, and help them.”
A message of hope and prevention
Finally, Renaud Muselier delivered a clear message to the residents: “Cancer is a word that scares, but cancer can be treated. For those who haven’t had it, get screened. For those who are sick, come quickly: you will be well cared for and supported. With the League Against Cancer, one is much better surrounded against the disease.”
In this place designed to soothe as well as to support, the Maison Axel Kahn reminds us of an essential truth: in the face of cancer, human support is a force in itself, and sometimes, everything begins with the courage to open a door.
