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Record-breaking October of the Cancer Treatment Foundation: Little Annabel Touched Hearts All over Estonia

In October, a record-breaking 332,000 euros was donated to the Gift of Life cancer treatment foundation, the bulk of which for 7-year old Annabel’s treatment. The foundation council approved of the funding of the treatment of 18 people – also a record-breaking number, 14 of whom are receiving the foundation’s support for the first time. All in all the foundation covered 264,000 euros’ worth of medical bills.

A gift of hope and a chance


In October we gave a helping hand to 7-year old Annabel, whose neuroblastoma treatment we fund with more than 170,000 euros in cooperation with the Estonian Association of Parents of Children with Cancer.

Our public call for supporting her treatment caused a veritable explosion of kindness in Estonia, as more than 200,000 euros was donated within a day. Thanks to Annabel we now have enough money for yet another child in need of neuroblastoma treatment.

  • Watch Annabel’s story HERE.
  • Read the story told by Annabel’s mother, Marianne Lõhmus, HERE.
  • Annabel’s father, Allar Sepp, and Toivo Tänavsuu, the head of the cancer treatment foundation, shared their emotions following the flood of donations on TV.

Treatments of Rita and Ruth continue


We also continued supporting 55-year old Rita Elur’s lung cancer treatment in October. The treatment that started in early spring is working. It costs nearly 5000 euros a month.

Rita writes: “I found out about my illness in November 2015, which truly shocked me. Thanks to chemotherapy, followed by radiation therapy, my body was purified of cancer, but then tumours appeared in my head. Analyses showed it had returned. As I was lying in the hospital, treatment with a medication compensated by the Gift of Life began. Thanks to the foundation, I can now say that the medication has stopped the cancer from spreading.

Their work is priceless. It is a matter of life and death, but now, thanks to the foundation, I can live. My family, relatives and friends keep themselves up to date with the foundation’s activities and truly appreciate its work.”

We also continued supporting the treatment of 57-year old Ruth Alas. Her treatment costs more than 6500 euros over the coming two months.

Ruth writes: “In last months I have been a testament for many that this diagnosis does not necessarily mean your life is over. I went to a class reunion and held a lecture at Kaunas University of Technology. I have passed my management-related knowledge on on the radio and in a magazine. I have prepared my lectures and training events with the purpose of helping our organisations’ management develop in a direction that prevents people from burning out and instead encourages them to enjoy what they are doing. I’d be truly grateful if I could keep on doing that.”

Watch Ruth’s interview HERE.

Little Amelia can be with her grandpa!

Since October we have also supported Grandpa Anatoli, who is fighting bowel cancer. His medication named Lonsurf costs nearly 5000 euros in the coming months. In 2014 doctors discovered an advanced malignancy in his large intestine.

Anatoli’s daughter, Anzela, writes: “There has been some good news during the illness as well. Namely, in February 2016 Anatoli’s only grandchild, Amelia Linda, was born, whom we had been waiting for for nearly 14 years. Amelia visits her grandpa very often, to his delight, and wants to do so for a very long time. Every moment they spend together brings a smile to Anatoli’s face. We really hope that the new medication will help and extend Anatoli’s life.”

The foundation funds the same medication, Lonsurf, for two women from Tallinn – one of them a 59-year-old and another a 60-year-old.In both cases we contribute nearly 5000 euros.

An 80-year old grandfather from Haapsalu will receive a medication named Xofigo thanks to the foundation’s support, which will cost nearly 12,000 euros in the coming months. Another elderly man, this time from Rapla County, can rely on the foundation for purchasing a lung cancer medication named Everolimus. We fund this with more than 6000 euros.

A 67-year old woman from Pärnu is about to undergo treatment for multiple myeloma that costs nearly 50,000 euros per quarter, but she covers 50% of the costs by herself.

A 69-year old lady from Tallinn is going through nearly 9000 euros’ worth of bowel cancer treatment with benefactors’ support.

The lung cancer treatment of Erik Saar, a 50-year old family man from Tartu, will also continue, costing nearly 5000 euros a month.

5-year old Tauris is getting better!

At the beginning of the year the Gift of Life cancer treatment foundation and the Estonian Association of Parents of Children with Cancer jointly funded the neuroblastoma treatment of 5-year old Tauris with nearly 100,000 euros. The latest news from Tallinn Children’s Hospital confirms that the treatment was successful and the boy is getting better!

Tauris’ parents write:
“Many thanks to all of you. Also from Tauris, who is being a very good boy. Tauris enjoys spending time in his kindergarten, with his friends and nice teachers. It has been three months since our last treatment and these have, naturally, been full of waiting for the results. In September we had an examination we had been waiting for and the results were good. Now we need to keep it like that and still hope for the best.”

Charity reflectors, saws, birthdays...

Starting from October, you can buy the cancer treatment foundation’s charity reflectors from Selver, Prisma, Rimi Hypermarket and Stockmann stores and Circle K stations that serve as double life-savers – they make you visible in the dark, thus saving your life, and buying them gives extra days for cancer patients. A reflector costs €1.99.

Husqvarna Estonia supported the treatment of a child who will receive the foundation’s support in the future, by donating a load of toy saws – 200! We hand the toy saws, which are perfectfor Christmas gifts, out in exchange for donations under certain circumstances.

Read more about the campaign HERE.

Starting from July this year the customers of Circle K stations have donated nearly 5000 euros for cancer patients through donation boxes at the stations.

Find out more HERE.

Tartu Ehitus, one of the oldest construction companies in Tartu, and Tevent, a ventilation works company, celebrated their anniversaries in the Estonian Aviation Academy on 13 October. The jubilarians did not ask for gifts or flowers and instead asked the guests to donate to the Gift of Life cancer treatment foundation. All in all the partygoers donated more than 7900 euros for cancer patients.

13 families from the Rõõmukool baby school in Jõhvi collected bottles for four months to support cancer patients. The raised 360 euros was donated to the cancer treatment foundation to help cancer patients from Ida-Viru County.

Charity basketball games and fundraisers at malls

 In October we participated basketball games in Rapla and Tartu. Spectators of Avis Utilitas and University of Tartu game in Rapla raised more than 600 euros via donations and charity auction and spectators of University of Tartu and Kalev Cramo game in Tartu donated 700 euros.

Our volunteers raised nearly 3000 euros in donations in Stockmann, Ülemiste and Tartu Lõunakeskus shopping centres.

Charity auctions

We held two wonderful auctions in October, whose proceeds went to cancer patients.

Jaanika from Saaremaa donated a self-made quilt to us in memory of her sister, which we put up for auction with a starting price 99 euros. The quilt was bought with 1470 euros.

Read the story of the quilt HERE.

During the auction a nice robot lawnmower also found a new home, donated to us by Husqvarna Estonia. The robot lawnmower was put up for action with 99 euros and was sold with 3307 euros.

Politicians donated in the evening of Election Day

The Gift of Life visited the celebrations of eight parties and election coalitions in Tallinn in the evening of Election Day, where politicians donated nearly €3000 for cancer patients.

Find out more HERE.

Toivo Tänavsuu: Estonian people are wonderful!

Toivo Tänavsuu, the head of the foundation, gave an interview to TV3 news, where he admitted that the Gift of Life has received so many donations in three years that they have been able to support all cancer patients who belong to the foundation’s target group. All in all there have been 170 people.

Watch Toivo’s interview HERE.

Entrepreneur, ‘buy’ your Christmas gifts and cards this year from the cancer treatment foundation

The Gift of Life cancer treatment foundation recommends that companies give up making boring and useless gifts for their clients, partners and employees this Christmas and instead make a donation for cancer patients. This year the companies can also purchase charity Christmas cards and boxes of waffles from the cancer treatment foundation.

Click HERE for further information.

Want to support cancer patients with the gift of life?

On our website you use bank links to become a regular benefactor within seconds.

Find the bank details here.

You can sign up for our newsletter via info@kingitudelu.ee.

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