Charity telethon 'Jõulutunnel' earns over €205,000 for preemie NICU rooms
Proceeds from the 2017 edition of ETV's annual charity telethon "Jõulutunnel" will go to support the establishment of family-centered neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) rooms dedicated to the care of extremely premature babies.
Although Tallinn Children's Hospital sees around 400-500 extremely premature babies, or preemies, per year, and their numbers are on the rise, the hospital's NICU does not currently have rooms available that would allow families with preemies to remain together following the child's birth.
The planned family rooms, however, will have everything needed to allow parents to remain with their newborn as the baby continues to grow and develop in the NICU.
Those to share their stories with viewers included Margit Kilumets, Urmas Vaino, Christel Karits, Anna Gavronski and Kristo Elias, while musicians to perform during the telethon included Ott Lepland, Ivo Linna and Birgit Õigeeel, Tanel Padar, Elephants from Neptune, I Wear* Experiment, Traffic, Evelin Samuel and Hedvig Hanson.
The "Jõulutunnel" donation lines, which were opened on Dec. 1, will be open through midnight on Dec. 31. To donate €5, call 900 771; to donate €10, call 900 7702; to donate €25, call 900 7703.
Previous partner organizations include the Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment (ELIL), the Estonian Cancer Society, the Estonian Union for Child Welfare, the Estonian Food Bank and the Foundation Maarja Päikesekodu.
Editor: Aili Vahtla