The Unidade Local de Saúde de Braga and Faz Cultura – Municipal Cultural Company of Braga have signed a collaboration protocol aimed at bringing Cordão – Choir of Oncology Patients and Friends closer to the users and their families within Unidade de Saúde Local de Braga. The partnership was formalised today, 27 February, in the presence of Dr Domingos Sousa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ULS Braga, Dr Paula Vaz Marques, Clinical Director for Hospital Healthcare at ULS Braga, Nurse Gonçalo Alves, Director of Nursing at ULS Braga, Joana Fernandes, Executive Administrator of Faz Cultura, and Sara Borges, project lead for Cordão.

Domingos Sousa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ULS Braga, praised the initiative led by Faz Cultura and recognised the importance of the newly established partnership. He also highlighted the importance of viewing patients beyond their clinical dimension, supporting their reintegration into society through the intersection of healthcare and culture, which he considers highly beneficial.

“Faz Cultura has been expanding its mission in recent years. Participatory projects such as this one, now formalised with ULS Braga, allow us to put into practice, on a daily basis, the values of inclusion and accessibility. This project becomes even more meaningful in the year that Braga is the Portuguese Capital of Culture,” added Joana Fernandes, Executive Administrator of Faz Cultura.

CORDÃO – Choir of Oncology Patients and Friends aims to be a community choir composed of people diagnosed with cancer — whether undergoing treatment or in remission — as well as their carers. With the main goal of combating social isolation among oncology patients and their carers, CORDÃO seeks to connect people, collectively stitching new ways of living with and understanding cancer.

The choir meets weekly on Tuesdays. Registration can be made via email at participacao@theatrocirco.com or in person at the box offices of Theatro Circo or gnration.

CORDÃO – Choir of Oncology Patients and Friends is a project by Faz Cultura – Municipal Cultural Company of Braga, created within the framework of the PARTIS & Art for Change programme, an initiative of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the la Caixa Foundation.