Readers of newspaper Meditsiiniuudised elected Toivo Tänavsuu Medicine Influencer of the
Year 2017. He received 29% of the votes from 363 respondents.
“I do know Toivo Tänavsuu personally,
but have been keeping an eye on his activities,” said Indrek Oro,
oncologist of North Estonia Medical Centre. “His activities are of high
visibility, which is why I often find myself admiring his marketing skills and
productivity. The number of patients he has helped with his foundation is ever
increasing, just as the number of those he says he has healed – by that I mean
the benefactors. As an oncologist I can never underestimate the importance of
his activities.
General practitioner Karmen Joller said
that Toivo Tänavsuu is one of those people who follows the old Estonian proverb
of ‘When you see an issue, come and help’ – when the state cannot manage it,
community must help. “Toivo Tänavsuu has initiated something that has
changed the lives of many families and has given hope and time. Turns out that
time is indeed money. The non-medics who have developed the Estonian medicine
in their unique way have my deepest respect,” she added.
“Toivo Tänavsuu’s initiative has been
really gratifying because he has created a way for connecting people who have
means and desire to help and those who require our joint support,” said
Katrin Romanenkov, the head of health care and communications department of the
Health Insurance Fund. “Toivo Tänavsuu has greatly developed the donation
culture in Estonia.”
“This is a recognition for the entire
team. The Gift of Life’s influence beyond the medicine is even greater
actually. For instance, we have also tried to influence and cure the
politicians responsible for health care. We have certainly influenced quite
many healthy people: in 2017 the foundation will grow twice the size in terms
of the volume of donations,” said Toivo Tänavsuu, the founder and head of
the Gift of Life cancer treatment foundation.
“In my opinion, everyone who do not
intend to fall ill and do something systematically for it, such as giving up
smoking or alcohol, taking up regular sports or activities, making their walks
longer and making more healthy choices in terms of their diet, are the true
medicine influencers,” he added.
Medical Influencer of the Year is selected
by readers of newspaper Meditsiiniuudised,
the majority of whom are health professionals. Toivo Tänavsuu received 29% of
the votes from 363 respondents. Second place was won by Marek Vink, the head of
the Estonian Dental Association, and third place by Karmen Joller, a general
practitioner from Kivimäe general practice centre.
The Medical Influencer of the Year has been
selected since 2009.