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.
The Foundation equipped all neonatal intensive care units in Poland with 129 ophthalmoscopes (used to see inside the fundus of the eye) and 27 laser devices. Currently, there are 21 treatment centres, which the Foundation has equipped, and till autumn of 2021, doctors have examined and diagnosed 261 765 prematurely born babies and saved the eyesight of 11 088 babies!
This type of retinopathy is caused by premature birth, and it means that the retina (part of the eye) is not developed correctly 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 sight. First symptoms can be diagnosed between 1 and 3 months of a 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 undertaken as early as possible.
Retinopathy
Fundacja wyposażyła 21 wyspecjalizowanych ośrodków zajmujących się leczeniem retinopatii w najnowocześniejszy sprzęt laserowy - fotokoagulatory laserowe.
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 till January 2021 doctors have examined and diagnosed 254 919 prematurely born babies and saved the eyesight of 10 692 babies!
The cornerstone of our work is the effective coordination and constant communication between all our humanitarian aid points and the headquarters in Warsaw.
Our charity not only supplies medical devices to hospitals in Ukraine but also provides medical devices to hospitals in Poland, in particular to locations which treat patients escaping the war in Ukraine. Przemyśl, which is the town on the border between Poland and Ukraine has been struggling with the influx of patients since the beginning of the war.
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity announced the result of the annual winter fundraiser. The charity raised 47 719 418,62 EUR (224 376 706,35 PLN) setting another fundraising record in Poland.
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation has teamed up with the Warsaw city council to establish a temporary shelter for Ukrainians escaping the war in their native country.