site.btaTwelfth Edition of Bulgarian Christmas Charity Campaign to Help Children with Congenital Diseases

Twelfth Edition of Bulgarian Christmas Charity Campaign to
Help Children with
Congenital Diseases


Sofia, December 2 (BTA) - Unveiling the 12th edition of the
Bulgarian Christmas charity campaign in the National Cardiology
Hospital in Sofia on Tuesday, President Rosen Plevneliev said
that following consultations with leading experts in
paediatrics, with NGOs and many parents, it has been decided
that the 2014/2015 edition of the fund-raising campaign will
focus on the care of children with congenital diseases.

Each year about 3,500 babies are born in Bulgaria with different
degrees of congenital diseases. Some of these conditions lead
to life-threatening complications, while the absence of timely
diagnosing and treatment result into life-long disabilities and
sometimes, even death. Congenital diseases of the heart have the
greatest incidence among congenital diseases in Bulgaria.
Between 600 and 700 babies with congenital heart defects are
born each year. About 45 per cent of them need surgery, and in
many cases this is performed as soon as the baby is born or in
the first two or three years of their lives.

Other common congenital diseases are such of the nervous and of
the respiratory systems. Plevneliev stressed the importance of
the early diagnosing of such diseases. "We want to help such
children with special diagnosing equipment, medication and
rehabilitation. Our aim is to collect enough money to replace
the obsolete equipment with badly needed state-of-the-art
hi-tech devices for more precise diagnosing and modern
treatment," he said.

"The sympathy shown to human suffering makes us stronger, better
and more fulsome citizens," the President said, voicing a hope
that many kind-hearted people will support the charity campaign.
Plevneliev thanked all who will make donations in the latest
edition of Bulgarian Christmas. PK /ZH/

/СН/