Solidarity Fund finances treatment of 97 sick children

The people of Georgia have donated more than 2.5 million GEL to a fund that will pay for expensive medical treatment for children with cancer.

More than 2 million GEL has been donated to the Government-initiated Solidarity Fund since it was established in July 2014. Already the donated funds had financed the cost of local and international treatment for about 97 young patients living with cancer.

Currently 275,000 GEL is allocated monthly to the Fund’s account. If this amount increases to 400,000 GEL per month, expensive treatment will be available for 100 patients suffering with cancer. If 800,000 GEL donations are received per month, it will enable the finance of a bone marrow transplant for patients aged 22 or over across the country,” stated a report released by the Fund today.

The Solidarity Fund presented its fifth periodical report today, which contained data from July 2014 to April 2015. The report noted more than 40,000 employees from 240 public institutions, 17 private companies and 53 student organisations had contributed to the Solidarity Fund since its establishment.

In total, the Fund had gathered 2,612,000 GEL since it launched ten months ago. Of this money, 1,757,000 GEL has already been approved to cover the cost of treatment for 57 patients in Georgia and 40 patients in clinics in Germany, Turkey, Israel, Italy and France.

Deputy Head of the Government Administration Nino Kobakhidze said the problem of financing oncology treatment for people under the age of 22 had "practically been solved” thanks to the Fund and generous donations of the Georgian public.

The Fund, created following the proposal of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, encouraged the public and private sector to donate money that would be distributed to cover the cost of treatment for ill children and other priority social needs.