Impacto social del proyecto FEU: “Sonrisas compartidas” en la atención a familias de pacientes oncopediátricos

Background: a pediatric cancer diagnosis generates psycho-emotional strain on families. The “Shared Smiles” FEU Project emerged as a psychosocial intervention to mitigate this impact, focusing on emotional support, strengthening networks, and family empowerment. Objective: to evaluate the social impact of the FEU Project: “Shared Smiles” in the care of families of pediatric cancer patients. Methods: a prospective, longitudinal, repeated-measures descriptive study (before-after design) was conducted from November 2024 to April 2025 in Palma Soriano, Cuba. Theoretical methods applied included analysis-synthesis, historical-logical, and inductive-deductive reasoning. and empirical: self-administered questionnaires with validated instruments (GAD-7, PHQ-9, Zarit, CD-RISC, etc.) at baseline and at six months, supplemented with semi-structured interviews. The analysis used descriptive techniques (frequencies and percentages). Established ethical standards were followed. Results: the project reduced severe anxiety and severe depression, while tripling high life satisfaction. Strong support networks increased fivefold, and high loneliness fell by 44 points. High resilience and expert knowledge emerged. The intense burden of caregiving decreased by 41 points, and isolation within networks was reduced. Conclusions: the project's impact was evaluated, showing that families developed critical capacities: adaptive emotional management, strengthening of community ties, and technical mastery of care. This three-pronged approach alleviated the immediate burden and generated lasting psychological capital to face the challenges of pediatric cancer care.