Crucial accessories for emergency care on the road, Peter Cerny Foundation

In 2024 we once again reached out to the Peter Cerny Foundation, a charitable organisation based in Budapest that has been operating now for 35 years with the prime objective of saving premature babies in the Central Hungary region. With staff numbering around 35 they perform vital work in ensuring babies get the essential care they need at the right time.

Following discussions, the PCF asked for our support in various ways. Firstly, we helped put a new and fully equipped ambulance on the road. The funding provided by the RBIF helped to install a vital hydraulic load-lift in the ambulance, which is used to lift the incubators in and out of the vehicle. Safety is obviously paramount during the use of these ambulances, and the generous support of the guest and sponsors at the January 2024 Burns Supper was crucial in making this happen.

But our assistance didn’t stop there. The success of the 2024 event enabled us to finance the purchase of nasal equipment, breathing circuits and humidification chambers that are essential for the daily rescues of neonatal babies and for transporting ventilated patients between hospitals.

Peter Cerny Foundation director Barnabás Lendvai:

These pieces of equipment are very expensive to purchase, and the public funding we receive from the state only covers 62% of our operating costs (2023 figure). The grant kindly donated by the Robert Burns International Foundation has covered our needs in this area for about 1 month of the year, which we thank you for, especially on behalf of the premature and sick newborn babies that we save.

The Peter Cerny Foundation operates as a public provider offering a service that is not fully covered by the state, ensuring life-saving care for newborn babies born unexpectedly outside of the hospital environment, but requiring specialised treatment. They are on call day and night, but with only 62% funding for running costs, they are unable to operate without direct support from companies and organisations as part of their social responsibility frameworks.

“Selfless donations such as the one provided by the RBIF covers the purchase of special equipment for this life-saving care of premature babies, often weighing between 400 and 1000 grams, so we are extremely grateful to the guests and sponsors of the RBIF.”