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Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation Gives Medicines for Disseminated Sclerosis Preventive Treatment to the Association of the Disabled Persons with Disseminated Sclerosis

June 14, 2008, Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation Kateryna Yushchenko gave the Association of the Disabled Persons with Disseminated Sclerosis a certificate for the Betaferon medication. Among other participants of the event, hosted by the Ukrainian Catholic University, were Director of the Hanza Closed Corporation Petro Bahriy, rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University Rev. Borys Hudziak, Head of the Hospital Medication Dept. of the Bayer Schering Pharma in Ukraine Dmytro Bondarev, Head of the Association of the Disabled Persons with Disseminated Sclerosis all-Ukrainian public organization Yevhen Kolpakov, representatives of the local authorities and patient care institutions, and Ukraine 3000 Foundation.

The medicine was provided by the Bayer Company, a globally renowned producer of medicines against disseminated sclerosis, with the support of the Hanza Closed Corporation. The Association will receive 2,400 packs of Betaferon, which will allow treating over 400 patients in 2008, to the total of almost UAH 18,000,000. This was told the audience by Director of the Hanza Closed Corporation Petro Bahriy and Head of the Hospital Medication Dept. of the Bayer Schering Pharma in Ukraine Dmytro Bondarev.

The philanthropists said it was a great honor and responsibility to help the Ukrainian community, especially when this help allows hundreds of young people to get back to active life. Betaferon is the first medicine allowing influencing the disease itself instead of its consequences.

Mrs. Yushchenko thanked Hanza and Bayer for giving a graphic example of corporative social responsibility. She recalled that this wasn’t the first time when the Ukraine 3000 Foundation helps people with disseminated sclerosis. In May 2006, the Foundation took part in the Ray of Help action, within whose framework the Association of the Disabled Persons with Disseminated Sclerosis received medicines.

“We can’t stay aside from the problems of disseminated sclerosis. This disease affects young people, and recently more and more often – children and teenagers,” said Mrs. Yushchenko. “I’d like to thank all those helping the state to solve urgent problems in the sphere of medicine, for whom mutual care and charity is a standard of social life.”

“We are grateful to the Ukraine 3000 Foundation, Bayer Company, and Hanza Corporation for their understanding and support. Over 400 people now have a chance for high-quality modern treatment by European and global standards, like other patients throughout the world,” said Mr. Kolpakv, receiving the certificate.

Disseminated sclerosis is a grave chronic disease of the nervous system, affecting mostly young people aged from 21 to 45. Disability to move independently and attend to oneself, speech disorders and, as a result, being a prisoner of a wheelchair – these are the typical consequences of this disease. A treatment course, started immediately after the disease has been diagnosed, allows prolonging active life and postponing the disability. However, for most Ukrainian patients its unaffordable for its high costs and the lack of state support.

The Association of the Disabled Persons with Disseminated Sclerosis’s activities, supported by the Ukraine 3000 Foundation, succeeded in drawing the attention of the Ukrainian community and the state to the need to support the DS patients financially. In 2007, for the first time state financing was channeled for DS treatment. In 2008, its total sum amounted to UAH 79,000,000.

Mrs. Yushchenko and Ukraine 3000 Foundation representatives are staying in Lviv with a working visit, taking part in the Ecumenical Social Week. June 13, Mrs. Kateryna delivered a speech at the Ukrainian Cooporative Movement Academic Conference plenary session. June 14, she met with president of the Semaines Sociales de France Michel Camdessus and visited the Lviv Saint Spirit Ecclesiastical Seminary.

Also, members of the Foundation visited the Dzherelo Education and Rehabilitation Center.