Children's cancer center in Kharkiv receives medical and diagnostic supplies (10/30/05)

Children's cancer center in Kharkiv receives medical and diagnostic supplies

by Evhenia Medvedenko

KHARKIV, Ukraine - Kharkiv City Children's Hospital No. 16 on September 15 held a special press conference to officially announce the delivery of medical equipment and diagnostic supplies from the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund (CCRDF). The medical shipment valued at $65,163 was made possible by a major grant from the Philip Morris Co. earlier this year.

Speaking on behalf of the Fund, founder and Chairman of the Board, Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky thanked Philip Morris for its generous contribution, and pledged continuing support for the Kharkiv hospital. Hospital No. 16 specializes in the treatment of children with leukemia and other oncological illnesses.

As part of this shipment, the hospital's hematology laboratory received binocular microscopes, photometers, a spectrophotometer, a water distillation system, a Stat Fax immunology analyzer, a laboratory centrifuge, diagnostic kits for the Cobe Spectra cell separator, and a variety of diagnostic reagents and consumable supplies for the hematology analyzer Cobas-Micros BOSH.

At this stage, the Kharkiv laboratory is fully equipped for the analysis and treatment of a wide range of blood-borne illnesses. Each year nearly 600 children in Ukraine receive the grim diagnosis of leukemia. Thus, CCRDF is striving to help the hospitals that specialize in leukemia treatment to obtain the critical supplies and test kits and medications they need to combat this dreaded illness.

In the framework of this humanitarian program, CCRDF is also purchasing medical and laboratory equipment for the oncology departments at the Rivne Regional Children's Hospital and the Zhytomyr Regional Children's Hospital: specifically, filters for blood components and test systems for diagnosis of hepatitis and Epstein-Barr Virus, a binocular microscope, lumbar needles and spinal needles for bone marrow biopsies, infusion kits that will make it possible to properly diagnose and treat leukemia victims.

Since it was established in 1989, the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund has delivered over $53 million worth of medical and humanitarian aid to hospitals and orphanages in 14 oblasts (provinces) of Ukraine. The Fund has established partnerships with 20 hospitals and has provided extensive training and technology infusion that has resulted in dramatic reductions in infant mortality and improvements in cancer remission rates. With the help of Philip Morris, the fund also hopes to expand surgical programs for children born with congenital heart defects in Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv.

Tax-deductible contributions may be sent to CCRDF at 272 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills, NJ 07078. For more information, readers may call (973) 376-5140 or log on to http://www.childrenofchornobyl.org.

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