Toruń

Hospicjum Nadzieja (Hope Hospice) provides 24 hour care for children with life-threatening and terminal illnesses.  Its team also supports children and their parents in their homes. 

Torun has areas of great poverty, and the founders of this hospice realised there were many parents who were unable to care for children with serious long-term illnesses and disabilities, who would abandon such children in local hospices and state children's homes. They built the hospice in 2002 using donated materials and volunteer work, to provide a home for these children, some as young as 3 months old. 

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In many cases the hospice looks after the children until they are old enough to have the operations that they need and are strong enough to return to their parents. It provides support and safety for parents, so that they can care for their child. In other cases it is a permanent home, ensuring children can go to school and improving their quality of life, whilst providing the specialist care that they need.

Unfortunately state funding does not ensure comprehensive care and medical attention for children with such serious illnesses. Without the support of friends and people of goodwill, who understand the situation, it would be impossible for the hospice to continue its work. Recently the hospice added a beautiful garden to the property, so that children have space to play outside. 

To date the Alina Foundation and Cycle Poland have donated:

• in 2011, life support equipment, including a feeding pump and an infusion pump;
• in 2012, a battery operated suction pump,
• in 2013, a bath, two patient hoists, two suction pumps, a physiotherapy table, three baby changing tables, and four mattresses; and
• in 2015, three suction pumps;
• in 2017, three suction pumps, two pulse-oxygen meters, four respirators and three physiotherapy mats.

"Thanks to the donation from the Alina Foundation each one of our children now has their own new suction pump. Thanks to the single use containers, which are easier to maintain, they can avoid infections. Due to the illnesses that our children face, these suction pumps are essential. The pumps are also used in our home care hospice as many parents cannot afford to purchase a pump for their children."
- Aleksandra Ruszczak, President of the Hope Hospice Foundation

"Thanks to the support of the Alina Foundation we could adapt our unit to the needs of our small patients, making the job of our team easier. We are hugely grateful for the help and support, which enables us to improve the lives of our small patients."
- Ela, Hope Hospice

"We are incredibly glad that you remember our patients. Thank you for your heart. Every gesture of friendship makes us feel that we are not alone. Whether small or grown up, no one should be alone during very hard times."
- Halina Wisniewska

Read more on the hospice webpage