We will cure cancer. The Foundation for Development of Ukraine is investing $40m to fight the illness. The oncology industry has never seen so much money ever since independence of Ukraine. Annual state funding for purchases of equipment is 6 times less.

Tatyana Blazhko, reporter. Nastenka is almost three but has already been operated and undergone eight chemotherapy courses. Doctors of the National Institute of Cancer are like gods for her because the chances to survive were minimal in her home town.

Yevgeniy Pechenin, father of Nastya: We brought the kid here. She would lie. They gave really few chances for her survival. Here she started smiling at least.

Tatyana Blazhko, reporter: Another operation is ahead. Yevgeniy is sure his daughter will recover. Every year 160,000 new people face this terrible diagnosis. Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation adds chances for recovery launching a new project to fight cancer. Rinat Akhmetov provides $40m. This is an unmatched charitable contribution to support health of the nation.

Rinat Akhmetov, President of the Foundation for Development of Ukraine: Ukraine has officially registered 910,267 people with cancer. Every year adds another 160,000 with 90,000 dying of the disease. It’s terrible. The immediate question is what to do? The only possible answer is not to give up, fight, and prevail. I ask myself – how can I help? By investing money in early diagnostics and effective treatment. That’s why I decided to provide $40m to combat cancer diseases.

Tatyana Blazhko, reporter: 10m of the amount will stay with the National Institute of Cancer in Kiev, 20 will go to Donbass, while another 10 will help people with cancer in the Western Ukraine. The amounts are huge for our health care industry. The government allocated six times less for purchases of new equipment. Ukraine has an excellent school of cancer doctors but even the most talented of them are helpless if there is nothing to treat with or diagnose at.Now oncologists can buy new facilities with the contribution of the Foundation.

Rinat Akhmetov, President of the Foundation for Development of Ukraine: I want to see the result as soon as yesterday. I want people not to be ill. Why? Because you know, when I heard that someone had cancer disease, I thought the situation was hopeless. But then I learnt that the first cancer phase can be cured in 100%, 90-100%, the second – in some 70-80%, and the third – in 30-35%. Our goal is to invest money into early diagnostics. Thus we can actually save many lives. That’s why I want to see the results tomorrow. 

Tatyana Blazhko, reporter: The first thing cancer specialists will buy is positron emission tomography scanners. They help assess the function of a damaged organ or tissue before tumour emerges. It ensures more precise early diagnostics, which is a major tool in the battle against cancer in Europe. Ukrainian patients would go to Moscow or St. Petersburg seeking for this examination before.

Grigoriy Bondar, chief executive of Donetsk Regional Tumour Center, professor: This facility will help us to treat. Usually we identify effectiveness in a clinical way, chiefly. But now we will have a chance to understand whether we are treating effectively or just waste funds and slightly affect health of the person if he is taking medicines to no effect.

Tatyana BAKHTEYEVA, Chairman of Health Care Committee of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine: Our country hasn’t had this equipment before. We will get two PET facilities. One position emission tomography scanner will be installed in the National Kiev Institute of Cancer and open for free for patients from all regions of our country. The second PET will be installed in Donbass to treat patients coming from south and east of Ukraine.

Tatyana Blazhko, reporter: The allocated funds will be spent to build a new radiology center in the National Institute of Cancer that will host the best diagnostic and treatment equipment. The president of the Foundation admits that not all problems can be resolved at the same time. But he promises to ensure overseas internships for doctors and assist them in maintenance of the expensive facilities.

Source: Ukraine: TV channels: TRK Ukraina
Broadcast on: 11 July, 2008 19:12:57 - 19:17:33