The Cancer Treatment Foundation received over 465,000 euros in donations in December. Never before has the amount of donations made in one month been so high.
“December was just absolutely unbelievable!” said Toivo Tänavsuu, the head of the cancer treatment foundation ‘The Gift of Life’. “We know from experience how kind and willing to help people in Estonia are, but the flood of goodness that struck in the Christmas month just leaves us speechless. Thank you to everyone who contributed: because of you, we can ensure that in 2019 no one is left without hope or help at a difficult time.”
22 people recently received confirmation from the foundation that it would be supporting or continuing to support their treatment. In total, the foundation contributed more than 200,000 euros to the health of people in Estonia last month.
Its call in autumn for companies to abandon traditional Christmas gifts in favour of supporting those in need was well heeded. Many companies made donations to the foundation in December, including Maru, ISIS Medical, Norma, Mass, Maxilla Dental Clinic, TF Bank, Cleveron, Express Media, Interno and Saint-Gobain. For companies who supported cancer patients but also wanted something in their Christmas stockings, the foundation’s volunteers baked 5000 waffles in little more than a single day in cooperation with the Waffle Fairies.
Also contributing to the treatment fund were, for example, 8th graders from Tallinn French School and employees of Schenker. Donations for cancer patients were also raised on the island of Hiiumaa and at Christmas fairs at Kiili Gymnasium and Tallinn Südalinna School. Young people from the Estonian Youth Council of Churches helped collect donations at shopping centres as well.
Volunteers from the Cancer Treatment Foundation collected donations at more than 50 concerts, Christmas parties and other events during the month. These included the concerts of the Estonian music artists and bands Fix, Nublu, Anne Veski and 2 Quick Start, 30+ parties in Tartu and Tallinn, the Estonian National Museum and the Christmas Gala at Saku Suurhall arena, in addition to many shopping centres all over Estonia.
The Riigikogu confirmed the state budget for 2019 in December. Upon the proposal of the factions of the Conservative People’s Party and the Centre Party of Estonia, the Cancer Treatment Foundation will receive 115,000 euros of state aid early in the year. This will cover approximately half of the amount that the foundation spent on VAT on medications in 2018
.