“The selection of the theme for each new Grand Finale is thoroughly discussed within the Foundation and it depends on the current needs of the Polish medicine. We analyze the situation on our own, as well as discuss with doctors representing various medical specializations who are considered leading authorities in their branches of medicine and medical practitioners who have contact with patients in Polish hospitals on an everyday basis. This year, we decided to once again support pediatric and oncology wards in order to help them maintain high standards of medical care which have been established thanks to – among other things – our previous purchases. Of course we are not forgetting about the elderly either. It’s the third time we devote our fundraiser to geriatrics because we want our seniors to be able to recover in decent conditions”, says Jerzy Owsiak, the President of the Board of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.
According to specialist doctors, Polish pediatric should evolve towards case-specific therapy. In order for this to become possible, genetic testing must become a standard diagnostic tool, as is happening in many countries in the west. Such testing enable doctors to diagnose diseases with more accuracy and to identify their biological causes. By selecting this theme for the 23rd Grand Finale, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity wishes to contribute to the development of this branch of medicine. The funds raised during this year’s Finale will be used to support, among others, wards in specialized clinics dealing with oncology, heart surgery, pulmonology and rheumatology. This is the third time the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation supports pediatrics: The 11th and 12th Grand Finales, both titled “Newborns and children under five”, enabled Foundation to buy 2742 medical devices for € 6,165,320.91 and the 1 693 medical devices for € 3,579,446.78 respectively.
Every year, up to 1 300 children in Poland are diagnosed with malignant tumors, 80% of cases being intestine cancer. The primary diagnosis methods of solid tumors, including tumors of the central nervous system, are magnetic resonance and CAT scanning. Early diagnosis allows doctors to quickly start therapy, which greatly improves the patient’s chance of recovery.
As emphasized by Prof. Danuta Perek, the President of the Polish Children’s Oncology and Hematology Society, oncologists have observed a growing awareness among both parents and general practitioners, who are able to notice alarming symptoms. Diagnostics also applies to cured patients who remain in the care of oncology clinics and units, which further fuels the demand for MRI and CAT scanners. In many hospitals, such equipment is almost worn out, which leads to frequent failure. This, combined with the scarcity of the scanners, greatly prolongs waiting lines, which in turn may be disastrous to patients. Another problem is the limited access to ultrasound scanners outside of big cities. According to Prof. Mariusz Wysocki, Provincial Medical Consultant for Children’s Oncology and Hematology for the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province, one of the most important aspect of fighting cancer is to quickly identify the species of bacteria and fungi in the organism of the patient. The most modern equipment delivers the result within minutes, which shortens the diagnostic process by many hours and allows to quickly make suitable therapeutic decisions.
Oncologists strive to establish modern molecular genetic analysis as a widely-used diagnostic tool. Genetic testing help precisely assess the risk of a given disease developing in a patient and fight it through case-specific therapy.
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation keeps doing all it can to broaden the access to early diagnostics and improve the diagnostic process. The money raised during the 18th Grand Finale was used to provide highly specialist equipment for cancer clinics. The Foundation purchased, among other things, 80 ultrasound scanners to facilitate early diagnosis.
In rheumatology diagnostics, in turn, it is crucial to quickly identify the dysfunction. In most cases, successful early diagnosis helps prevent the disease from developing further and leading to physical disability. In the opinion of Małgorzata Serafin-Król, PhD, ultrasonography specialist, ultrasound scan is essential to the medical assessment of the muscle-skeletal system and it perfectly supplements clinical tests. Equipping children’s rheumatology wards with state-of-the-art ultrasound diagnostic tools might turn out to be a milestone in the advance of this difficult discipline of medicine. The Polish Rheumatology Society Medical Imaging Program, which is being run by the Pediatric Branch of the Polish Rheumatology Society, is the first such program to include the training for children’s rheumatologists. Unfortunately, as stressed by Serafin-Król, there are still too few ultrasound scanners in specialist clinics and units.
Polish children’s heart surgery is among the best ones worldwide. Approximately 2700 children with congenital heart diseases are operated in 9 clinics every year, including 600 newborns. All kinds of heart surgeries are performed, including multistage surgeries on children with the so-called one heart chamber defect and heart transplantations. The results of the treatment is under tight supervision of the National Register of Cardiac Surgery and they are reported to the European Congenital Database. The most compelling need of the Polish children’s heart surgery is more places in intensive care post-op wards.
The upcoming Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity encompasses all the aspects of Polish pediatrics described above. Despite having chosen such a broad branch of medicine, the Foundation remains faithful to the idea which has accompanied it for the last 23 years: “We will not focus on the most basic needs of hospitals such as elementary medical devices – this is something the government must provide. Our mission is to support the health care system created by the state by propagating new diagnostics and treatment methods and improving the standard of care for the youngest patients. We are fully determined to continue our work in this field”.
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity has also decided to play its Grand Finale for geriatrics. It’s the third time the Foundation supports the branch of medicine dealing with the treatment of the elderly. Just like a year ago, it will donate equipment to all newly-opened geriatric units, as well as keep supporting the existing ones.
In the 22 years of its work, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation has purchased almost € 140 000 000 worth of medical equipment, all thanks to the generosity of our donors. Exactly on January 11th 2015, 120 thousands of our volunteers will set off to the streets of both Polish cities and many cities all over the world, in order to raise money to buy medical equipment for Polish hospitals.
We invite you to join the 23rd Grant Finale. Let’s help the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation achieve this year’s aim!
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