Projects Update 2022

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A few months after our successful 25th Annual Budapest Burns Supper we would like to give you a bit of feedback on the progress we are making with the funds that you all raised in January.

We have identified projects with 6 different beneficiaries around the country, all of which will benefit sick children around Hungary.

 

The beneficiaries are:

1. Neonatal Department of the Péterfy Sándor utca Hospital, Budapest

2. 2nd Department of Paediatrics, Semmelweis University, Budapest

3. Paediatric Department of Szent Rafael Hospital, Zalaegerszeg

4. Péter Cerny Foundation for Premature Babies, Budapest

5. Paediatric Department of the Csongrád-Csanád County Health Centre, Hódmezővásárhely

6. Infant and Children’s Department at Mezőtúr Hospital, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County

 

Five of these projects have already received the funding from the RBIF, and the much-needed equipment has already been ordered. After finalising the details on the 6th project we hope soon to be able to send that funding too.

Once the hospitals have taken possession of the equipment we will of course provide you with all the details and photos, so you can rest assured that your generosity at the January Burns Supper is being put to the best possible use!

The RBIF’s pipe band

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Anyone who has been to a Burns Supper will not forget the rousing sound of bagpipes and drums in full flow. It really lends a great deal of authenticity to the event, and makes it a memorable night for Scots and non-Scots alike. But how much do you actually know about the pipers and drummers who perform for us every year? Did you know there are World Champions in the ballroom every year? Did you know that this is often the only time they now play together?

We asked Stevie Brown about who the band are, where they come from, and most importantly, why do they come back year after year…

 

Most of us played together at Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band and have known each other for around 35 years. We live all over Scotland, and mostly having retired from competing now, we get together especially to come to Budapest.

It is an honour and a privilege to be invited to join you once again this year and we are delighted to congratulate the RBIF on the occasion of the 25th Burns Supper to raise funds for the Foundation and the worthy causes it supports.

We have been very fortunate, in the past, to have competed at the highest level, winning numerous titles, including multiple World Championships. We have been afforded the opportunity to travel the world, we’ve appeared on TV shows, met celebrities and made recordings, even earning a gold disc for a collaboration with traditional musicians from across Europe.

 

However, to be associated with the RBIF for around 20 years has provided us with the most gratifying and humbling experiences, not only entertaining guests at the Burns Supper, but actively engaging with the children who benefit from the charity work of the Foundation.

 

We have played for youngsters in hospital cancer wards, orphanages, schools and community centres and cannot overstate the effects these visits have had on us. We hope that we have left the children with even a fraction of the memories with which they have provided us.

 

Budapest has become a very special place for us and the friendships formed here will last for many years to come. We wish the RBIF continued success in all its ventures in the future and are eternally grateful to be acknowledged by the Foundation as the charity’s official pipers and drummers.

25th Annual Budapest Burns Supper

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A huge thank you to all the helpers and sponsors that assisted with the 25th Annual Budapest Burns Supper at the Corinthia Budapest. Many people, companies and organisations support us in different ways, both financially and with products or services. Without their generous assistance the Burns Supper would not be the event it is.

The money raised from the gala will be put towards our charity projects in 2022, along with the kind donations that we have received as well.

Follow us and stay updated

Make sure you like the RBIF Facebook page or follow us on Instagram or Twitter to be sure of hearing all the details about next year’s event in good time, and to find out what projects the RBIF will be supporting throughout 2022.

The Robert Burns International Foundation (RBIF) is supported by the British Ambassador to Hungary and the Hungarian Ambassador to the UK. The Honorary President of the foundation is Sir Alex Ferguson, former manager of Manchester United football club. In the last 25 years the organisation has raised several hundred thousand euros to help sick and underprivileged children.

Contact: [email protected]

Csongrád-Csanád County Health Care Centre, 2021

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In 2021 the Robert Burns International Foundation continued its support of the Hódmezővásárhely-Makó Paediatric Department of the Csongrád-Csanád County Health Care Centre. This donation was part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme, and was enabled by the continued involvement of Inter Relocation Kft.

The RBIF funded the purchase of a Natus neoBLUE compact phototherapy device and two EDAN iM3 patient monitors.

The neoBLUE compact is a phototherapy device for the treatment of neonatal jaundice. The LED light sources in the device emit blue light at the right wavelength, which causes the bile pigment bilirubin – that accumulates in the blood and causes jaundice – to break down and reduce blood levels. This procedure effectively treats neonatal jaundice and in a significant proportion of cases prevents extreme bilirubin accumulation, which can lead to brain damage if left untreated. Its compact size makes it easy to move and position.

According to consultant physician and head of department Dr Ferenc Papp:

We already had one of these devices in our neonatal unit, but felt we needed another as we often have several babies requiring light treatment at the same time. In such cases, we could only do so with a 30–40-year-old device that is less efficient with fluorescent tubes. We can now provide modern light treatment for two newborns at the same time in our department. The need for a second device is also explained by the significant increase in the number of newborns in the hospital in Hódmezővásárhely (in 2020, the number of births per year increased by 50% compared to previous years).

The two EDAN iM3 patient monitors purchased with the donation will be used primarily to monitor the basic vital signs of sick newborns and infants. The device records and displays blood oxygen saturation, pulse and blood pressure on a touch screen display. The parameters are clearly visible, even from a distance, which increases the safety of patient monitoring. The device was selected for its ease of use, compact size and the fact that the signal processing is less sensitive to movement, making it particularly suitable for use with newborns and infants. The two new monitors complement the older monitors in our department but are better in terms of functionality.

A big thank you to Inter Relocation for the continued support in the SME Sponsorship Scheme.

 

2nd Dept of Paediatrics, SOTE, Budapest, 2021

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The Robert Burns International Foundation has donated equipment to the 2nd Department of Paediatrics at Semmelweis University in Tűzoltó utca every year since the roots of the Foundation were laid in 1998.

Following in his late father’s footsteps, Professor Dr. György Fekete led the 2nd Department until his semi-retirement in 2009. Author of 118 paediatric publications with 1034 citations, we are proud that he continues to advise the Foundation each year on deserving causes for the support of sick and underprivileged children around Hungary. In such capacities, he has long been recognised as one of the country’s unsung heroes for sick children. The Foundation is lucky to continue to be advised by a man of such professional international standing and integrity.

In 2021 the 2nd Department of Paediatrics requested the help of the RBIF to buy a Biometra TAdvanced gradient PCR machine. This device is what is known as a thermal cycler, a piece of laboratory equipment most commonly used to amplify segments of DNA via polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Thermal cyclers may also be used in laboratories to facilitate other temperature-sensitive reactions, including restriction enzyme digestion or rapid diagnostics. The device has a thermal block with holes where tubes holding the reaction mixtures can be inserted. The cycler then raises and lowers the temperature of the block in discrete, pre-programmed steps.

According to Professor Fekete:

We currently have set up the device to detect copy number variation (CNV) characteristic for Di-George Syndrome.

The symptoms here can vary, often including congenital heart problems, specific facial features, frequent infections, developmental delay, learning problems and cleft palate.

We have successfully applied the CNV detection assay for Di-George Syndrome for more than 25 patient samples, and we currently plan to do 20 samples/month for this assay. Furthermore, by February 2022 we plan to set methylation-sensitive assays for imprinting-related genetic disorders.

 

Péterfy Sándor Hospital, Budapest, 2021

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The Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital, located in District 7, is one of Budapest’s oldest and largest hospitals with nearly 1,600 beds, where patients can be treated for many different ailments and conditions. 

The neonatal wing is run by Dr Gábor Baross, who with the support of his team can deal with anything between 500 and 600 premature babies every year with a maximum capacity to accommodate 20 to 30 babies at any one time.

This department of the hospital has been a beneficiary of support from the Robert Burns International Foundation for many years, and when we asked Dr Boross what would be most useful in 2021, he revealed that a heated humidifier was top of their list.

Babies that are born can find themselves in need of ventilation for various reasons, and this is where humidifiers like that purchased by the RBIF are invaluable.

According to Dr. Boross,

with this device and its accessories they can ventilate newborn babies much more gently. The breathing circuits that were purchased along with the main device ensure that the noses of the babies are subject to less irritation, and therefore much more rarely cause an injury when compared to the circuits that we used to use.

The MD850 heated humidifier is a robust system that is designed to withstand daily hospital use, and so it will provide significant support for the doctors and nurses in their challenging day-to-day activities.

Thanks to the generosity of the guests and sponsors of the annual Burns Supper the Robert Burns International Foundation is able to help make sure that the department always has the necessary number of functional and reliable equipment at its disposal.

Szent György University Hospital, Székesfehérvár, 2021

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As part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme we endeavour to support smaller yet no less important projects around the country, and in 2021 we were delighted to be able to return to Székesfehérvár to provide support for the second time.

Norhot Kft. is a real estate company based in Budapest, and the owners joined our scheme for the first time in 2020, identifying Fejér county as the region that they wished to support.

When Norkot Kft. came back to us in the spring saying that they wanted to take part in the SME Sponsorship Scheme again, it made sense to go back to Dr Gábor Simon, who runs the paediatric department at the Szent György University Hospital in Székesfehérvár, to ask how we could help.

The doctors and nurses at the paediatric department revealed that their work would best be facilitated by the addition of a Euromex iScope trinocular microscope.

According to Dr Simon,

the microscope not only helps with the day-to-day work of the department (quality blood counts, urine sediment), it is also used for training purposes. The examined substance can be projected onto a screen by means of the attached camera, while the photos taken can be stored for teaching and training purposes. The microscope that the department previously used was old and obsolete, had been repaired several times, and was not suitable even for routine examinations.

The other request was for a digital blood pressure measurement device combined with a pulse oximeter.

This device that comes with a wide range of cuffs makes it possible to record precise blood pressure measurements even of newborns, and to measure the blood oxygen concentration of patients struggling with severe respiratory problems. This latter parameter is crucial for deciding whether to give a patient continuous oxygen or transfer them to intensive care for further treatment.

A big thank you to Norhot Kft. for their kind donation.

2021 Annual BBQ

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On 29th August 2021 the RBIF held its fourth annual BBQ at the Chefparade Country venue in Etyek.

The day started in bright sunshine in keeping with the end of August date, and we welcomed around 90 people to the fantastic venue that is Chefparade in Etyek.

With plenty of space for kids to run around the venue is the perfect location to relax as the summer draws to a close, and we were certainly well looked after.

BBQ cuisine

Paul Mizener and his team at the Chefparade cooking school had been preparing the food for up to 48 hours in some cases, and this was evident in the range of delicious meats they put on: Salmon steaks, chicken thighs prepared in the smoker, burnt end chili, the most amazing fillet steak, and the ever-popular BBQ pulled pork, accompanied by coleslaw, pickles and potatoes.

And if that were not enough, at the end we were able to enjoy Paul’s famous brownie, you need to taste it to believe it.

Fine wines

But it wasn’t all about the food, once again we enjoyed the support of the Etyeki Kúria Winery, who popped over from their neighbouring estate and allowed us to taste some great wines, the Pláne Frizzante White, the Kúria Sauvignon Blanc, and the Kúria Red, all perfectly suited to the weather and the food.

 

As the afternoon wore on, the clouds gathered and we were treated to a huge rainstorm, but fortunately we are well catered for at Chefparade and were all able to move under the shelter of the pergola to enjoy the rest of the afternoon in great company.

The event couldn’t have been the success it was without the support of our sponsors particularly the Budapest British International School, our main BBQ sponsor.

 

We look forward to seeing you all next year!

Just click on the photo below to view all the pictures from the BBQ:

photos: Amy Arnott

24th Annual (Home) Budapest Burns Supper

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A big thank you to everyone who ordered one of the Burns Supper Hampers, and we hope you enjoyed a traditional Burns Night meal from the comfort of your own home.

Despite being largely closed since the spring, the team at the Corinthia Hotel were a huge help to us in making their facilities available once more, and ensuring that the hampers were filled with all that you needed to enjoy Burns Night.

Continued support

In what has been a very difficult 12 months for everyone we are grateful for the continued support of Arran Distillery and Zwack/Diageo for providing our whisky, to Kovács Nimrod Winery for the lovely wines, Magyar&Sons for the pálinka, Törley for the champagne, I.J. Mellis for the cheese, and to UPS for arranging the transport of the haggis and cheese directly from Scotland.

The money raised from the hampers will be put towards our charity projects in 2021, along with the kind donations that we have received as well.

SME Sponsorship Scheme

Should you wish to support the RBIF in 2021, possibly joining our SME Sponsorship Scheme to support smaller-scale projects at children’s hospitals around the country, please get in touch.

This year UPS not only had to contend with the restrictions brought on by the pandemic, but also the problems of Brexit, and they came through with flying colours, as ever. If you think UPS could be of help to you or your business, please contact them directly, by helping our sponsors you help the RBIF!

Summary of 2020

2020 was a busy year for the RBIF, despite all the restrictions brought on by the pandemic. Normally we provide you all with a printed brochure of our activities at the Burns Supper, but this year, you can access it electronically below. We hope you enjoy reading what your donations facilitated last year.

Download the brochure here

Follow us and stay updated

Make sure you like the RBIF Facebook page or follow us on Instagram or Twitter to be sure of hearing all the details about next year’s event in good time, and to find out what projects the RBIF will be supporting throughout 2020.

The Robert Burns International Foundation (RBIF) is supported by the British Ambassador to Hungary and the Hungarian Ambassador to the UK. The Honorary President of the foundation is Sir Alex Ferguson, former manager of Manchester United football club. In the last 20 years the organisation has raised several hundred thousand euros to help sick and underprivileged children.

Contact: [email protected]

Bethesda Children’s Hospital, 2020

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To many of us who have lived in Budapest for a number of years, Paul Mizener needs no introduction. Formerly chef at Budapest’s only Scottish bar The Caledonia shortly after he arrived in Hungary, Paul is now well established as a professional chef at Chefparade, Hungary’s largest cooking school (and the culinary experts behind the RBIF’s Summer BBQ!).

“Having lived in Hungary for 10 years, I wanted to give something back to the community, and after speaking with the RBIF and Chefparade, where I had worked for the past 8 years, we came up with the idea of a testimonial dinner”, says Paul, explaining where the idea for our joint project came from.

For health reasons, Paul’s oldest daughter is a regular visitor to the Bethesda Hospital, which became the obvious choice for the fundraiser. After speaking with Dr Rita Jakus, head of the neurology department, and following confirmation from the RBIF’s medical adviser Dr György Fekete, we knew what equipment we needed.

Bethesda Hospital needed help to buy equipment to improve the standard of neurodiagnostic care they could offer, and this fitted in perfectly with Paul’s plan.

“Due to the amazing generosity of my colleagues at Chefparade, who volunteered their time to deliver the evening and the numerous suppliers who donated produce, wine, whisky and beer, the band who performed for free, fantastic speeches, laughter and tears of joy and all the wonderful guests, we managed to achieve our target.” – added Paul.

With normal electroneurography tests we cannot see the nerves, so we can only infer from these results where the nerve damage is. This ultrasound equipment is a huge help in identifying the exact position and size of the damage, after broken bones, post-operative muscular problems, etc. – revealed Dr Rita Jakus.

The sum of money raised by Paul and his Chefparade colleagues on the night of the dinner was matched by the Robert Burns International Foundation, so we were able to make a donation of over HUF 2.6 million to Bethesda Hospital for the equipment, an outstanding achievement!