The day
before yesterday, on 25 October at noon, the Gift of Life cancer treatment
foundation broadcast a public call for supporting 7-year old Annabel’s
outrageously expensive cancer treatment. By this morning people had raised more
than 200,000 euros in response to the call. Annabel now has the required money
for her treatment.
“We’re truly dumbstruck. We have no
words. Estonians have completely overrun the foundation with their
kindness,” said Toivo Tänavsuu,
the head of the Gift of Life cancer treatment foundation. “Our call for
supporting Annabel’s fight for her life was shared on Facebook more than 3600
times and it made it to a quarter of a million people. There were thousands of
benefactors. We were flooded with donations.”
Annabel’s soon-to-start neuroblastoma
treatment currently costs 172,000 euros. The Gift of Life cancer treatment
foundation aimed to raise half of it, which is 86,000 euros. The other half, or
another 86,000 euros, will be contributed by the Estonian Association of
Parents of Children with Cancer, which holds the charity Duck Race.
“Now we have raised more than we
initially aimed for within less than a day. We can now end the super-successful
donation campaign for Annabel and, far from this, we now have enough funds for
yet another small patient who needs the same treatment. We appreciate all
benefactors for this unprecedented and record-breaking good deed,” said
Toivo Tänavsuu.
The story of Annabel’s family was told by
Pealtnägija, an investigative-journalistic programme, on 25 October.
http://www.err.ee/638406/pealtnagija-ametnikud-solgutavad-vahihaiget-last
Read the story told by Annabel’s mother,
Marianne, here:
http://kingitudelu.ee/uudised/vahiravifond-toetab-7-aastase-annabeli-voitlust-elu-eest-ning-kutsub-koiki-vaikese-vapra-printsessi
Annabel is the second child to receive the
effective neuroblastoma treatment funded jointly by the Gift of Life cancer
treatment foundation and the Estonian Association of Parents of Children with
Cancer. The treatment has a 70% chance of success. This year 5-year old Tauris
received the same treatment. His treatment has ended now and his illness is in
remission.
The Gift of Life cancer treatment foundation
has supported more than 75 people this year and funded nearly 800,000 euros’
worth of treatment.