Retinopathy of Prematurity Prevention and Treatment
The programme was launched in 2001. Initially, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation purchased 7 diode lasers for treatment centres in hospitals in Katowice, Łódź, Białystok, Poznań, Szczecin, Gdańsk, and Wrocław.
By the end of 2017, the Foundation equipped all neonatal intensive care units in Poland with 125 ophthalmoscopes (used to see inside the fundus of the eye) and 27 laser devices. Currently, there are 19 treatment centres, which have been equipped by the Foundation and by the end of 2019 doctors have examined and diagnosed 248 096 prematurely born babies and have performed 9 028 laser operations and saved the eyesight of 10 357 babies!
This type of retinopathy is caused by premature birth and it basically means that the retina (part of the eye) is not developed properly yet when the child is born. The damaged retina can eventually cause substantial loss of eyesight and when left untreated in the early stages, can result in loss of eyesight. First symptoms can be diagnosed between 1 and 3 months of baby's life, so doctors need to have access to sophisticated equipment such as laser surgery devices. The best chance to save the child's eyesight is a quick diagnosis, and effective treatment undertakes as early as possible.
We have summed up the 57th Open Tender, where we focused on the purchase of medical equipment for children's heart surgery and anesthesiology. We bought 242 medical devices, which will be donated to hospitals in 23 cities across the country.
Neonatal ICU ward, where some of the most vulnerable newborns are treated and their condition is closely monitored by doctors and nurses received has been named after our charity. We travelled to Bochnia to meet the staff and congratulate them on their work and commitment.
Jelenia Góra, Sosnowiec, and Kielce - three new towns in Lower Silesian voivodeship boast roundabouts named in honour of our charity, commemorating local activists involved in our fundraising work and medics who use the equipment we provide.
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is gearing up to hold another Open Tender and buy highly specialized medical equipment for children's heart surgery and devices for anesthesiology, Our charity aims to buy equipment for public hospitals nationwide. The funds used to buy equipment have been raised at Grand Finale 2020.
