One morning in April 2020, in full confinement, a gentleman presented himself in front of the gates of the North hospital in Marseille, prohibited to all visitors because of Covid. He absolutely wanted to see the director “to give him an envelope“. At his insistence, the security guards led him to her. His kraft paper envelope contained 1,500 euros in notes and coins. All his savings. Antoine Scupa wanted“make a small gesture for the hospital“.
Beautiful gestures like this, there were thousands during this dark year. Caregivers who lacked masks, gowns and resuscitation fans were overwhelmed with boxes of chocolates, sweets, hand creams, children’s drawings. By an amazing side effect, “the Covid has brought regarding an outpouring of extraordinary generosity. People were calling us every day asking how they might help us“, recalls Caroline Péragut, director of communication at the CHU.
1,500 individuals 65 companies
The phenomenon has grown to such an extent that a legal structure had to be created in record time to accommodate these donations, whether in money, in kind or in skills. This is how the Phoceo endowment fund was born, which initially made it possible to finance projects linked to the Covid: purchase of supine bicycles allowing intensive care patients to avoid serious sequelae due to loss of muscle mass, acquisition of massage chairs to offer moments of relaxation to the staff of services under pressure, or even funding of research projects to better understand the new disease. In three months, 800,000 euros were collected.
Three years have passed, and if we no longer applaud the caregivers at the windows, the generosity has not dried up. Phoceo continues to receive donations, for a total of nearly two million euros. On the foundation’s account book, checks for 20 euros rub shoulders with those for 20,000. SMEs or large companies, 65 companies are partners, 15 associations, and 1,500 individuals have put their hands in their pockets or organized events to collect funds. 71 large and small projects were initiated. No “above ground” choice decided from the offices of the management of the CHU, but operations that meet needs on the ground. “It is the healthcare teams who tell us regarding their needs, the little extras that can change a lot. And as Phoceo is a very flexible structure, decisions are made quickly, the agents reclaim their daily lives, are involved in the decisions, it is very important for the morale of the troops“, explains Virginie Negri, CEO of Phoceo.
In France, for all university hospitals, the Covid has relaunched the tradition of legacies. “It fell into disuse in the 1960s in favor of NGOs and Telethon-type associations. It was considered that hospitals were financed by social security and no longer had to live on good works“, analyzes François Crémieux, director general of the AP-HM.
Citizen sponsorship
But it’s not just a question of money. “Of the 1.6 billion budget of the AP-HM, two million euros from Phoceo, it is not much, even if today every penny counts. What is very important is the link that this fund has opened up to the outside world, the exchanges between the hospital and all sectors of society, economic, political, associative and sports players through which we develop solutions.”
For AP-HM, the leading regional employer (18,000 employees), which will invest one billion over the next 10 years, Phoceo is also “a means of asserting itself as a major economic player in the region“.
On the sponsor side, in addition to the tax advantage granted to donors, companies gain in internal cohesion around a mobilizing project that makes sense for employees. “We are in the process of moving from sponsorship linked to performance, sporting, industrial to a civic commitment for the benefit of daily performance, on values of solidarity, which the hospital carries“, observes François Crémieux.
But it is above all the “beautiful human stories” that are the strength of Phoeco. Like the one told by this Corsican family who has just inaugurated a relaxation garden for patients at the early cancer trial center of La Timone. This development, to which she contributed financially, is a way of honoring the memory of a father and husband who recently died at La Timone and “to make life easier for patients and caregivers“, explain the donors, who as often wish to remain anonymous. The beautiful story is also regarding these high school students from Var who, following the death of one of their classmates, defeated by cancer, organized snacks and raffles to raise funds for research on brain tumours. This educational project will end with a meeting with the healthcare teams. What, perhaps, to arouse vocations?
71 projects to support
Small and big ideas, medical equipment, research projects or comfort arrangements: 71 projects have already been initiated since the creation of Phoceo, two years ago. The list of those that have already been made resembles a Prévert list: yoga workshops for epileptic patients (Timone), custom-made glasses with magnifying lenses allowing thoracic surgeons to perform minimally invasive transplants (Nord hospital, see photo opposite), virtual reality equipment for patients suffering from mental disorders (conception psychiatry), or even a “short story distributor” installed in the waiting room of the Timone enfant, which delivers easy stories to read on the history of art or on works.
Avoid anesthesia for children
Also at La Timone Enfants, 50,000 euros have been added to the Hope Project endowment fund, which has for several years been carrying out an ambitious project to beautify consultation areas. At Sainte-Marguerite Hospital, the hyperbaric medicine department has been equipped with a comfortable and warm waiting room. Phoceo and its donors have also supported a large-scale study project on childbirth methods for women with a history of caesarean section, which involves 130 maternity units throughout France and more than 16,000 women.
Many other projects remain to be financed and are open to subscription. The Kid’Calm device will allow children treated in radiotherapy to avoid anesthesia, thanks to a projection of cartoons which reassures them, improves their comfort and their adherence to the treatment.
IRM
Funds are also being sought for the acquisition of an accelerator coupled with an MRI, new expensive (€10 million) imaging equipment. Donors can still direct their aid to the radio of the Mediterranean Area of Adolescence, a therapeutic web radio to help adolescents suffering from bullying, anorexia or social anxiety to express themselves and gain self-confidence.
The Women’s House, which opened its doors in January 2022 to improve the care of women victims of violence must also be helped. Today, located in temporary premises at the La Conception hospital, it will move into its permanent premises in rue Saint-Pierre.
All projects are detailed on www.phoceo.com. You can subscribe online and follow the progress of the project.
