The foundation collected nearly 443,000 euros in October and November and during those months, 52 people received help. In the last four months, the foundation has contributed nearly a million euros to the treatment of Estonians and this year, the foundation supports the highest amount of people – three times more than last year.
“There is an extraordinary pressure at the end of the year, it is a heavy burden of responsibility to carry. The foundation helps nearly 300 people this year – three times more than last year. There are so many people in Estonia who would like to live, but can’t fit under the umbrella of the Health Insurance Fund. So far, we haven’t had to close the door on anyone and hope it will continue to be this way. However, the three time growth has absorbed all our reserves and made us anxious about the future. I encourage everyone to support our mission, even if it’s with a minor regular donation, so that nobody would be left without the necessary treatment in 2019,” says Toivo Tänavsuu, head of the Gift of Life Cancer Treatment Foundation
Summary of the foundation’s work in October and November:
– Paid medical bills in total of 500,450 euros, the foundation’s council approved the treatment support of 52 people.
– Collected donations at Tallinn International Horse Show, KHL hockey games in Tondiraba ice hall, various shopping malls, MyHits Awards, Mardilaat, the 93rd anniversary reception of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 30+ parties, Tõnis Mägi’s concerts, Kadri Voorand’s concerts, the Global Leadership Summit, Tartu Christmas Fair, Robotex and several other events.
– The enterprises Hyrles and Compensa Life Vienna Insurance celebrated their anniversaries. Cleveron opened a production extension in Viljandi. During those events, the companies and their partners donated over 27,000 euros for the support of cancer patients.
– In October, the parliament discussed a bill proposed by EKRE that would exclude medications from value added tax. Currently, all medications are subject to 9 percent value added tax. In 2017, the Gift of Life Cancer Treatment Foundation purchased 1.4 million euros’ worth of medications and subsequently paid 126,000 euros VAT. The bill couldn’t find support from the parliament and was removed from the agenda.
The EKRE political group proposed to separate 100,000 euros from the national budget to the cancer treatment foundation as “protection” money.
– In November, we visited the University of Tartu Hospital, East Tallinn Central Hospital and the North Estonia Medical Centre where we met the oncologists, haematologists and pharmacists of the three great cancer centres.
– We encourage entrepreneurs to give up making useless Christmas presents to their clients, partners and employees, and gift the cancer patients hope and days to live with a donation. Several companies followed the idea – we’ll publish the summaries in January. The foundation’s volunteers baked nearly 5,000 old-school waffles in a day for those companies that wished to support the cancer patients, but also have something to put in Santa’s gift bag. Nearly 30,000 euros were donated for the waffles in support of cancer treatment.
– We opened an account in Coop Bank, the details of which will soon be added to our web page. The foundation’s PayPal account is once again available.
– Your Christmas tree gifts life! This year, order a Christmas tree to your home or office via joulukuused.ee – each tree bought supports the Cancer Treatment Foundation with 1 euro. Use the promotion code “Kingitud elu” while ordering and choose either free delivery in Tallinn or a 5 euro discount from the price of the tree.
– The Cancer Treatment Foundation’s charitable reflectors are still available at Rimi, Selver, Prisma, Rahva Raamat, Circle K and Stockmann stores.