First lady hosts nationwide telethon (12/24/06)

First lady hosts nationwide telethon

by Zenon Zawada
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - First Lady of Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenko led Ukraine's first telethon on December 17. The four-hour event was broadcast on 12 television channels to raise money to build a modern children's hospital.

The telethon managed to raise an unprecedented $48.4 million (U.S.), more than a third of the needed $120 million. Businessmen contributed millions, while average Ukrainians sent $1 text messages.

"I know that there are many medical experts in our country who are forced to work in difficult conditions, with poor equipment," Ms. Yushchenko said. "That's why we need to create the necessary conditions for their work."

The Children's Hospital of the Future will be located at Kyiv's exclusive Feofaniya medical center and will treat seriously ill children from all oblasts of Ukraine requiring the most urgent care.

Construction is scheduled to begin this summer.

During the telethon, Children's Chief Hematologist Svitlana Donska of the Ministry of Health said only 17 out of 250 children were able to receive medical treatment abroad this year for their illnesses. The average operation for a child with a serious illness costs $100,000 in the West.

"The nation needs to either allocate $50 million to send children to modern hospitals abroad, or build a modern hospital in Kyiv," Ms. Donska said.

Though the government has set aside $20 million for the hospital, the Ukraine 3000 Fund led by Ms. Yushchenko still has a significant amount of fund-raising ahead.

Another telethon is planned for June 1, hosted by the 1+1 TV network.

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