Oxygen therapy in Hódmezővásárhely

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As in the past six years, the Robert Burns International Foundation made a significant donation to the Infant and Children’s Department of the Hódmezővásárhely-Mako Health Care Centre in 2024. Together with the 1.2 million HUF donated this year, the total amount of donations so far exceeds 7 million HUF. This year’s project was again achieved with the help of Inter Relocation.

According to Dr. Ferenc Papp, head physician at the department:

We believe we have used the funds carefully and in the most useful way possible, and that each year we have acquired diagnostic and/or therapeutic medical equipment that has contributed significantly to improving the quality and safety of neonatal, infant and paediatric care at our department. One important criterion in selecting the equipment was to use it to treat as many children as possible, so this year we purchased an oxygen therapy device.

The AIRVO2 device is designed to deliver high flow nasal cannula therapy (HFNC). This non-invasive ventilation method delivers a high flow of heated and humidified oxygen-air mixture into the patient’s nose through a special nasal device to facilitate breathing and ensure adequate oxygenation. It has many advantages over conventional oxygen therapy and often avoids the need for intubation and invasive ventilation. The high flow rate improves the effectiveness of oxygen therapy, the warming and humidification help to clear the airways and reduce the risk of nasal mucosal damage. HFNC treatment can be used in children of any age, including newborns, with the right size nasal device. The treatment is gentler, more comfortable and better tolerated by children compared to other airway therapies.Thanks to the device donated by the RBIF the children’s department can add this valuable test to its diagnostic portfolio. So far, patients have had to travel miles away to Szeged for appointments. With the new device, the test can be performed in Hódmezővásárhely, almost immediately, helping to detect cystic fibrosis early and thus contributing to improving the quality of life of the patients concerned. A negative test result, on the other hand, can eliminate fears and anxiety in parents, which is no less important. The sweat analyser will be used in the brand-new children’s department at the hospital in Hódmezővásárhely, which was officially opened in April 2023.

The concentration of inhaled oxygen can be easily varied and read on the display, which also shows the set temperature and flow rate values. Operating the device is relatively simple and quick to learn, with a dedicated child mode. Its compact size makes it easy to carry or to place on a rolling stand for mobility. The nose device is made of soft silicone, with a material and design that ensures comfort of use and a stable fixation.

HFNC treatment is mainly used in children, especially infants, who develop mild to moderate respiratory distress due to bronchitis (acute bronchitis or bronchiolitis), chiefly caused by a viral infection. The most common causative agent is the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can affect many infants in epidemic form from autumn to spring, and many of whom may develop respiratory failure requiring hospitalisation. Formerly premature infants are particularly at risk of severe infection. During an epidemic, several RSV-infected infants may require HFNC treatment in the department each week, which is why it was particularly important to purchase an additional unit to the one already in place. This will allow two children to be treated at the same time.

With the equipment we have purchased, we can provide HFNC treatment for infants and newborns or even older children in the above-mentioned pathologies in our department, thus avoiding the need to transfer these patients to another institution. Our department has once again acquired a valuable and useful device that will be of therapeutic assistance to many patients, for which we are grateful to the Robert Burns International Foundation and its supporters.

“The marathon will humble you”

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50th BERLIN Marathon 2024

Berlin-Chicago-New York City-Tokyo-Boston-London. The holy grails for runners, and if you’re really serious about running, you want to run them. The Berlin Marathon is part of the world’s 6 most prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors. I ran the New York City Marathon in 2019, my first marathon in the year after my treatment for breast cancer. It was a cathartic experience, beyond being a bucket list item.

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This is my 10th year running, I now have 4 marathons, 7 Ultramarathons as a team and countless half marathons behind me, along with other prestigious Hungarian races. You can enter the Abbott Marathons either by running a qualifying time, which is not an option for me, taking part in a lottery, or by volunteering as a fundraiser, where you make a donation to the charity of your choice.

I entered the 50th anniversary Berlin Marathon as a running ambassador for the Suhanj! foundation, where I pledged to raise at least HUF 500,000 by the time of the race.

I had wanted to go for years, and since the spirit and aims of the Suhanj! foundation are close to my heart – they’ve been helping disabled children get moving for over 15 years – I applied knowing I was unlikely to succeed. At the same time, I knew that if accepted, I could certainly complete the distance and reach the target amount, because I raise funds for all my major races, and I have always asked for support to treat sick or underprivileged children, or to improve their quality of life. So far with success.

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That’s why I’ve been helping the RBIF for 8 years now as a volunteer administrator, because giving is the best thing to do.

In the months leading up to the race I was looking for sponsors, so of course I asked the Robert Burns Foundation if they could stand by me to support the Suhanj! Foundation’s sports centre in Budapest to provide professional coaching for disabled children. And the Board placed their faith in me!

From there, it was just a matter of running. I was so grateful, excited and proud to be there in Berlin, where I was one of 55,000 runners starting the 26 miles. I had the Suhanj! Foundation on my running gear, which gave me extra strength, I had a mission. Their slogan is “we give strength”, and this gave me super energy.

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The big marathons are running festivals. Almost every nation in the world is represented, and millions of supporters line the route, giving encouragement, refreshments, playing music and cheering. It’s a great celebration for us runners, where, apart from the elite athletes, it doesn’t matter how long it takes you (within the 8-hour time limit), because you gain experiences along the way that set you up for the future. The sporting value is high, the distance is said to be superhuman.

I completed the distance in 4 hours 40 minutes, but what I came away with was the experience of a lifetime.

With the support of my followers and the RBIF’s funding of 1.000.000 Ft, I was able to raise a total of HUF 1,742,000 to secure the services of a professional coach for the Suhanj! children for over 3 months!

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I am extremely grateful that the RBIF supported me, believed in what I stand for, trusted in my performance, and so we were able to contribute to the additional conditioning and developmental exercise of many children by qualified coaches!

Thank you RBIF, thank you Berlin, go Suhanj!

Bernadette Kellermayer RBIF Admin, volunteer fundraising running ambassador, breast cancer survivor

 

 

Modern ECG equipment for Mezőtúr

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The Children’s Department at the rural hospital in Mezőtúr, in eastern Hungary has been a beneficiary of assistance from the Robert Burns International Foundation for a few years now, and 2024 was no different.

The department is led by Dr. Ferenc Antal:

Once again, I would like to express my sincere thanks on behalf of the Children’s Department of the Mezőtúr Hospital and Clinic and the children of Mezőtúr and its surroundings for the fourth time that the Robert Burns Foundation has supported our department. We are also delighted that you placed your faith in the children’s department of this disadvantaged area once again, contributing to its safe operation.

This year, the RBIF was asked to finance the purchase of new ECG equipment. Small rural hospitals often do not have specialist consultants available, and so they have to seek temporary or permanent solutions locally.

Dr. Antal told us that their ECG equipment was technically outdated and due for replacement.

Thanks to your support, this has now been accomplished, and the new ECG appliance can help our work and patient care at all times, making it more reliable. What is equally worthy of note is that the new device also helps with diagnostics in the case of patients over the age of six, thanks to its built-in artificial intelligence.

On behalf of our staff, we would also like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for enhancing our work and the safety of patient care.

Improved treatment of jaundice at Péterfy Sándor Utca Hospital

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The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital in Budapest is one of the largest level-2 NICUs in the country.

Each year, the unit cares for between 500 and 600 premature infants, with a capacity to accommodate 20 to 30 babies at any given time.

For the past decade, the Robert Burns International Foundation has been a generous supporter of the unit, making regular high-value donations to help the medical team provide safer and more effective care for these vulnerable patients, significantly enhancing their daily operations.

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In 2024, the Robert Burns International Foundation donated HUF 5 million for use in various fields. One area was the treatment of jaundice, a common ailment in premature babies, so part of the funding raised at the Burns Supper was used to buy a transcutaneous bilirubinometer.

Dr. Boross explains:

The degree of jaundice in newborns has so far only been determined by blood tests. The transcutaneous bilirubinometer enables the level of bile in the blood to be determined without having to resort to using needles and syringes. This saves the little patients (and nurses) from having to give/take blood samples several times a day, and the procedure is much faster, more cost-effective and more beneficial in every way.

In terms of treatment, the RBIF donation also funded the purchase of a bilirubin lamp. This modern piece of equipment allows the medical staff to treat neonatal jaundice more effectively, and for shorter periods, which is much more convenient than the procedure previously employed with older devices.

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With over 500 babies passing through the department every year, keeping textiles and linen clean and hygienic is one of the main priorities. So when it transpired that the main washing machine had broken down, the RBIF donation was able to finance a quality Miele washing machine that is designed to cope with such workloads.

With the professional washing machine, we can wash the newborns’ clothes and bed linen in the ward in a hygienic way – added Dr. Boross.

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Finally, the 2024 donation was rounded off with 2 new medicine cabinets as well as 10 new breastfeeding chairs and stools, equally important parts of the furniture in such an important department of the Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital.

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

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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.”

 

RBIF donations used daily by patients and medical staff in Vác

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Following a first and successful donation in 2023 for the Jávorszky Ödön Hospital in the city of Vác, just north of Budapest, the Foundation Board of the RBIF decided to continue its support of this health-care institution that performs vital work in the region.

 

Dr. Ila Veronika, chief physician and head of the paediatric department, was delighted upon hearing news of the next round of assistance funded by the guests and sponsors of the Burns Supper, and soon came back to us with their wish-list.

In 2024 the children’s ward of the hospital in Vác received two high-quality beds and two very accurate and reliable scales, significantly improving the level of care offered to newborns and young children.

The beds are comfortable and easy to use, thereby helping patients recover more quickly. The nurses, for their part, find the beds very easy to clean and maintain, which is not an insignificant consideration. – explained Dr, Veronika Ila.

The scales purchased by the Robert Burns International Foundation from the 2024 donations are extremely accurate and are crucial for measuring the volume of breast-feeding in newborn babies.

According to Dr. Ila,

these scales allow even the smallest changes in weight to be reliably monitored, whether it’s a loss of fluid or the amount of breast milk taken, these volumes cannot be measured in any other way.

Such equipment is essential for tracking crucial changes in the health of newborns, adding that these donations directly contribute to improving daily operations at the hospital. The RBIF’s continued focus on providing practical, life-saving tools has strengthened its relationship with the hospital, ensuring a brighter future for paediatric care in the Vác region.

The equipment and furniture financed by donations from the RBIF are used by the patients and the medical staff in the children’s ward every day, helping to make a real difference to the quality of care.

 

Delayed development assessments in Zalaegerszeg

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For many years now as part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme, and in collaboration with FirstMed Centers, the Robert Burns International Foundation has supported the Infant and Paediatric Department at the Szent Rafael Hospital in Zalaegerszeg.

This hospital not only functions as a health-care institution for the 60,000 people who live in this town situated in the south-west of Hungary in Zala county, it is also the main hospital for the surrounding area, and accepts patients from throughout western Hungary, and even from across Hungary’s borders.

The assistance that we were asked to give in 2024 was directed at three different areas of the paediatric department. The first priority was to acquire a set of equipment enabling the doctors and nurses to perform Bayley III assessments.

As explained by Consultant Physician Dr. László Gárdos,

the Bayley III test assesses the development of infants and young children from one month to 3.5 years of age. It provides detailed information on children’s cognitive, language and motor functions, social and emotional reactions. The test helps to identify delayed development and provides information for planning necessary interventions.

The second area the RBIF was able to help in 2024 was with the purchase of an ultrasound drug nebuliser. This device is used to treat respiratory diseases effectively. By inhaling the drug in a nebulised form, the drug is delivered to the lowest airways. This technology can significantly increase the effectiveness of the therapy.

Finally, we financed the purchase of a stool calprotectin analyser.

This device is a great help in the care and treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and indeed with diagnosing the disease. The extent of inflammation in the gut can be assessed by using the analyser – explained Dr. Gárdos.

The relationship we have with the Szent Rafael Hospital in Zalaegerszeg is in fact a three-way partnership, as from the very outset we have teamed up with Dennis Diokno and his team at FirstMed in providing this much-needed assistance. Our thanks to them for continuing to support us in the SME Sponsorship Scheme so we can facilitate these improvements at the hospital in Zalaegerszeg every year.

 

Modern cabinets and bed scales for Budapest’s Paediatric Clinic

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The Tűzoltó Street Department of Budapest’s Paediatric Clinic looks back on a history of more than 135 years in child health care.

This clinic was the very first beneficiary of a donation from the Robert Burns International Foundation back in 1998, and every year since then the RBIF has endeavoured to provide much-needed support to help the excellent doctors and nurses perform their tasks to the best of their ability.

In 2024, the clinic came to us with two requests. Firstly, there was a pressing need for bedside cabinets. Dr. Erika Tomsits Szirtesné, chair of the Foundation for the Patients of the Tűzoltó utca Paediatric Clinic explains why.

The reason for the bedside cabinets is related to the consequences of the recent COVID pandemic. This is because the patients in the fever ward are no longer allowed to share a common playroom/dining room, and so we were compelled to come up with some solution to organise the meals in this ward, even if that meant the patients eating from their bed. These items of furniture are suitable for these purposes, they meet all of the hygiene requirements and are easy to move.

The second request was for modern bed scales. The scales financed by the Robert Burns International Foundation are light, accurate, easy to place under the patient lying on them and, of course, they can easily be used to measure the weight of another patient after disinfection.

In the case of patients suffering from chronic debilitating illnesses (intensive care, oncology, neurology), it is particularly important to monitor weight changes accurately during treatment – added Dr Tomsits.

The hospital in Tűzoltó utca is one of the principal children’s hospitals not just in Budapest but for the whole of Hungary. Children needing special treatment are often transferred here from other hospitals, so it makes sense to help ensure this hospital has the equipment needed to offer the best available support for sick children in Hungary. This assistance is made possible as ever by our Burns Supper sponsors, and in 2024 our main sponsors included @Budapest Airport, @bp and @FirstMed.

Join our 2024 SME Sponsorship Scheme!

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Now that we have successfully completed the Burns Supper we are looking ahead to our SME Sponsorship Scheme for 2024, and are actively seeking small and medium-sized businesses to take part. 
In 2023 we helped hospitals all around the country as part of this scheme, adding more than EUR 5,000 to the funds raised at the Burns Supper. Can we beat that this year? 

Deadline for applications: Wednesday 21st February 2024!

How does the scheme work?

  1. If you would like to make a targeted donation to a children’s hospital in Hungary, then get in touch, and let us know how much you would like to donate.
  2. The RBIF matches your donation.
  3. Together we identify a region of the country you would like to help, then with the help of our medical adviser we make contact with a hospital to assess their needs and how we can best assist them.
  4. We fund the purchase of the proposed equipment, and in a few months’ time we can visit the hospital to see what a difference the joint donation between the RBIF and your own company has made.

It really is no more complicated than that. Together we make the most out of your generous donation, and you can rest assured that 100% – in fact 200%! – of your donation will be used as effectively as possible.

For more information about the SME Sponsorship Scheme projects in 2023 just visit the Blog on our website.

IMPORTANT: We only have 5 slots in the SME Sponsorship Scheme this year, and one has already been snapped up, so please do get in touch soon if you think we can help.

Vital help for cystic fibrosis diagnosis in Hódmezővásárhely

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For six years now, the Robert Burns International Foundation has supported the Infant and Children’s Department of the Hódmezővásárhely-Makó Health Care Centre with generous donations, totalling almost HUF 6 million. The equipment purchased so far has mainly been used for therapeutic purposes.

With this year’s donation, funded jointly with Inter Relocation again, we purchased a sweat analyser, which expanded the diagnostic capabilities of the children’s department. The device determines the concentration of sodium chloride ions in sweat and is used in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, one of the most common congenital genetic diseases in the European population. The disease develops when a child inherits an abnormal gene from both parents, and is caused by a genetic defect in the protein responsible for transporting chloride ions in the saliva-producing glands, which leads to the formation of thick, sticky saliva that mainly affects the lungs and pancreas, but also other organs. With early detection and appropriate treatment of the disease and new therapeutic options, patients’ quality of life can be significantly improved, and their life expectancy extended by decades.

According to Dr. Ferenc Papp, head physician at the department:

The new device enables our department to measure the sodium chloride content of sweat too, which is particularly important as our paediatric pulmonary and gastroenterology departments have a large number of patients with suspected cystic fibrosis based on clinical symptoms. Based on our preliminary estimates, we expect to examine approximately 50-100 patients per year. The test is relatively easy to perform, not painful or particularly stressful, and the results are available immediately. The device is unique in its ability to measure very small amounts of sweat (0.5 microlitres), which is particularly useful for testing infants who don’t sweat as much.

Thanks to the device donated by the RBIF the children’s department can add this valuable test to its diagnostic portfolio. So far, patients have had to travel miles away to Szeged for appointments. With the new device, the test can be performed in Hódmezővásárhely, almost immediately, helping to detect cystic fibrosis early and thus contributing to improving the quality of life of the patients concerned. A negative test result, on the other hand, can eliminate fears and anxiety in parents, which is no less important. The sweat analyser will be used in the brand-new children’s department at the hospital in Hódmezővásárhely, which was officially opened in April 2023.

We thank the Robert Burns International Foundation for the continued support.