Christmas with INA: Record donation to hospitals and hundreds of gifts for children in homes

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Zagreb, 24 December 2024 – As part of the traditional Christmas with INA project, INA employees collected 886 gifts for children in homes across Croatia this year, continuing a long-standing tradition of fulfilling Christmas wishes for young ones. In addition, Croatia’s largest energy company donated €200,000 to hospitals in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, Sisak, Bjelovar, and Slavonski Brod.

The director of the Rijeka hospital, Alen Ružić, explained the importance of INA’s donation to the institution.

“This kindness and care for the community shown by INA enabled us to purchase devices for the invasive measurement of intracranial pressure in children and polysomnographs, which represent the latest advancements in technology. Used in leading centres around the world, these minimally invasive treatments are now possible, reducing suffering for our little patients. They also enable earlier diagnoses and the best possible therapy for conditions that were previously difficult to treat or, for various reasons, were diagnosed later. All of this is changing now,” Ružić pointed out.

The donation was presented to the Rijeka hospital by the President of the INA Management Board, Zsuzsanna Ortutay, accompanied by a member of the Management Board, Miroslav Skalicki.

“Holidays are a time for togetherness and warmth, and that’s why I’m happy that we were able to donate €200,000 to Croatian hospitals this year as well. This donation is very meaningful to us, as it will facilitate the purchase of much-needed medical equipment for paediatric wards. Over the past 13 years, we’ve donated almost € 1.4 million to paediatric departments, and every opportunity to help children and their families fills us with immense gratitude,” said Ortutay in Rijeka.

In addition to the Clinical Hospital Centre in Rijeka, the donated funds were distributed to hospitals in Osijek and the Sisters of Charity Hospital in Zagreb, as well as to the Children’s Hospital Zagreb, Bjelovar and Sisak hospitals, and the one in Slavonski Brod.

“Dr. Ivo Pedišić” General Hospital in Sisak will use the donation to secure an incubator and a wireless CTG device for measuring fetal heart rate. The Sisters of Charity Hospital will equip the Paediatric Clinic with new cots and pull-out beds for parents staying with their children. The hospital in Osijek will purchase a video gastroscope for the Paediatric Clinic, which will improve and ensure continuous provision of the highest level of care. General Hospital “Dr. Anđelko Višić” in Bjelovar will invest in two patient beds for the intensive care unit, two resuscitation carts, and two therapy carts. General Hospital “Dr. Josip Benčević” in Slavonski Brod will use the funds to purchase a new modern table for the resuscitation of premature infants and newborns. Children’s Hospital Zagreb will allocate the donation towards acquiring a therapy dog for the Institute of Oncology and Haematology, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents undergoing treatment for malignant diseases.

This year, INA also collected toys for children in hospitals, to make their holidays, spent far from home, a little brighter. INA received support from the Volim Hrvatsku community, which encouraged its followers on social media to donate an additional 200 gifts for children in hospitals.

INA employees have been fulfilling the wishes of children in homes for ten years. This year, they delivered 886 gifts to 13 homes across Croatia. Croatian actor and member of the jury on the popular show Supertalent, Fabijan Pavao Medvešek, visited the SOS Children’s Village Lekenik, where he, disguised as Santa Claus, distributed gifts to excited children. When the children recognized his voice, he finally revealed his identity, delighting both the children and the staff of the Village.

“Thank you, INA, for inviting me to come here to Lekenik and bring gifts to the children. I’m sorry that I didn’t have the chance to visit on my own initiative because it’s a few hours for me, but it might be a big deal for them. I will definitely come back again,” said the emotional actor.

Watch the video here.