Wienerberger Romania joins forces with Hospice Casa Sperantei and Habitat to make every moment count
Bucharest, July 2nd, 2013 – Hospice Casa Sperantei, Wienerberger Sisteme de Caramizi and Habitat for Humanity Romania joined their forces, in order to make every moment count for patients with terminal illness and their families.
The studies show that there are over 60,000 Romanians who die of cancer every year and thousands more with other life-threatening illnesses. The majority of them suffer severe pain in their last months. In Bucharest over 15,000 people need palliative care each year. According to World Health Organization, Bucharest should have over 230 palliative care beds, but currently there are only six. In Romania less than 6% of people who require palliative care receive it, because of lack of centers.
These are the reasons Hospice Casa Sperantei decided to build a new inpatient hospice unit in Bucharest. The construction work started and is expected to finish by the end of September 2013. Each year, the hospice in Bucharest will provide: 30 beds helping 700 patients, day care facilities with 5,000 attendances, home care with over 11,000 home visits, out-patient clinic with over 8,000 consultations and specialist support services for breast care, stoma and lymphedema.
“We desperately need this facility in Bucharest because there is a great need. There are families struggling to cope with their dear ones at home and this project doesn’t come soon enough for them. We are very grateful for the support of Wienerberger Sisteme de Caramizi and Habitat for Humanity Romania. Their donation is very important and will help us open the much needed HOSPICE. We hope that as many people as possible will support this project, as this is a project for Bucharest, a project for people”, says Alexandru Padureanu, CEO, HOSPICE Casa Sperantei.
Wienerberger joined this project as founding member and donated Porotherm bricks and lintels, the necessary mortar and the transport for all these materials.
“The partnership with Hospice and Habitat honors us and gives us the privilege to contribute decisively to a cause really important for the entire community. The Hospice project is unique in its nature and is one of the few initiatives in Romania that offers real support, intensive, professional and serious care for terminally ill patients. Wienerberger joins the Hospice cause animated by the conviction that this project will be an inspiration in the further development of palliative care in Romania”, states Mr. Corneliu Fecioru, Member of the Board Wienerberger Brick Systems, Sales and Marketing.
Habitat for Humanity Romania brings into this project its building and volunteer coordination expertise, and its commitment to help communities. “We are honored to be part of this project and to work with such important partners. Also, we really appreciate the fact that we were invited to join the projects because of our expertise, and by this we underline our involvement in helping building community centers”, says Elena Şerban, General Manager Habitat for Humanity Romania.
The beneficiaries of the project will be: old and young patients, usually in the advanced stages of cancer and other terminal illnesses, children with life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, and relatives who had to give up work to help care for the patients.
Wienerberger and Habitat for Humanity signed a strategic partnership in 2012, under which Wienerberger donates building materials for 140 houses for disadvantaged and economically vulnerable families. In addition, Wienerberger supports Habitat projects with volunteers and technical expertise throughout the duration of the constructions. Last year, Habitat for Humanity Romania and Wienerberger built five houses during Big Build event in Craiova, and also a house for a very poor family with six children from Calarasi county.
About Hospice Casa Sperantei
HOSPICE Casa Speranței (www.hospice.ro) is the largest medical non-profit organization in Romania, which offers free of charge palliative care services to children and adults with terminal illnesses in Bucharest, Brasov, Fagaras and Zarnesti.
We believe that any person who is diagnosed with a terminal disease in an advanced stage has the right to quality treatment to have his sufferance alleviated, to have the uncomfortable symptoms controlled and to have the rest of his days less painful.
HOSPICE is offering free of charge services since 1992 and has been designated a centre of excellence for Eastern Europe.
About Wienerberger Sisteme de Caramizi
Wienerberger is Romania’s largest brick manufacturer, with three plants for brick production, the most modern units on the local market. The plants are located in Gura Ocnitei – Dambovita, Sibiu and Triteni, Cluj. Wienerberger, the world’s largest bricks producer, entered the Romanian market in 1998 and is one of the biggest investors in the building materials industry. The portfolio consists of the building systems under the brands Porotherm and Terca. Wienerberger AG is also leader on the clay tiles market in Europe, with Koramic and TONDACH brands, and number one on the concrete pavers market in CEE, through Semmelrock. Starting with 2012, Wienerberger AG holds 100% shares of Pipelife, one of the world leaders in plastic pipes systems production.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Anchored by the conviction that safe and affordable housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty, Habitat has helped more than 3 million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes since 1976. Habitat also advocates for fair and just housing policies and provides training and access to resources to help more families improve their shelter conditions. As a nonprofit Christian housing organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes people of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its mission. To get more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitateurope.org.