The Slovenian University Rehabilitation Institute (URI) – Soča organised the event “A Day for Better Step” on receiving two important new machines for children going through rehabilitation.
This year, the SIJ Group donated 42,000 Euros for children at the URI – Soča. The Group bought two devices enabling additional therapies. This is the third donation in a row, and it is a part of the long-term cooperation agreement between the SIJ Group and URI – Soča.
(Ljubljana, 8 June 2017) The Department for (re)habilitation of children at URI – Soča once again organised the “A Day for Better Step” event.
It was a pleasant day, which the employees of the Department dedicated to marking the acquisition of two important new devices that will make children’s rehabilitation more efficient. The purchase was made possible by a new donation made by the SIJ Group, this time in the sum of 42,000 Euros. The first device, the Innowalk Pro Medium, is a device for the motorised repetition of taking steps in an upright position, intended to be used for practising walking. It is suitable for the rehabilitation of larger children, who have trouble walking, or are unable to walk. Also, the donation made by the SIJ Group will enable the children to receive a new device for respiratory physiotherapy – portable spirometer. With the help of the device, intended for evaluation of pulmonary respiratory volumes of children, a therapist could prescribe an appropriate therapy. Both devices were handed over for use to URI – Soča at this event. The employees and patients of the children’s department also demonstrated their use.
Because it was an important and joyous occasion, the patients of the children’s department made their steps towards an independent life even stronger by attending a picnic organised in the garden of the children’s department, where they socialised, prepared food together, and competed in real sporting events. They were joined by gymnasts Mitja Petkovšek and Saša Bertoncelj, athlete Maja Mihalinec, handball player Anja Frešer, the employees of the URI – Soča children's department, and representatives of the SIJ Group. Through games and amusing trials, the kids undergoing rehabilitation were taught by our successful athletes on how to take even firmer steps. At the same time, the children learned how much work and effort goes into success. They played football, and threw Vortex rockets at targets. Also, they attempted tasks that each of us needs to make during our day to day lives and that also take a lot of willpower and skill. They made fruit skewers and prepared vegetables for the picnic themselves, thereby taking steps towards greater independence. To make the whole thing even more relaxed and fun, the young Slovenian singer Ditka and Studio Anima were there, and had a sing-along with the children.
During the official ceremony, the President of the Management Board of the SIJ Group Andrey Zubitskiy, the General Direcror of URI – Soča Robert Cugelj, MSc., and the head of the Department for (re)habilitation of children Dr Katja Groleger Sršen, MD, with their colleagues, were present.
Robert Cugelj, MSc., marked the occasion by saying, “We at URI – Soča are grateful that the SIJ Group is our long-term partner and that their yearly donations improve the conditions for the recovery of our little patients. Both new devices are vital to our department. The majority of funds this year went towards the Innowalk, which is one of the most advanced machines, and will enable certain children to feel the possibility of walking for the first time in their lives, and help others improve their walking pattern. The second device, a portable spirometer, will help our respiratory therapists in their work with children.”
Andrey Zubitskiy, the President of the Management Board of the SIJ Group, stated when making the donation, “A lasting cooperation with URI – Soča is a vital part in fulfilling the commitment of the SIJ Group to sustainable development and social responsibility. I believe that the Innowalk Pro Medium and the portable spirometer will be strong allies of the experts and therapists at URI –Soča. But first and foremost, the children will be happy to work on a modern and customisable device, and will, with their therapists and parents, look forward to a faster progress and bigger independence.”
This way, the Innowalk Pro Medium complements last year’s donation made by the SIJ Group, which went towards a similar device for small children who have trouble walking, helping them improve in this area, building up muscle strenght, and improving overall physical performance. This year, the device is similar, bur intended to be used by larger kids. A part of the donation was used to purchase the portable spirometer for children, to make respiratory therapy more complete, after last year SIJ Group donation of the cough assist device for the children's department.
The first donation of 50,000 Euros, made by the SIJ Group in 2015, enabled the purchase of a robotised device for the upper extremities “Armeo”, which the youngest patients are using with great efficiency. The second donation, 46,000 Euros donated in 2016, enabled the purchase of the device Innowalk PRO Small (for very small children), and a cough assist device. With this year’s contribution of 42,000 Euros, URI – Soča and the SIJ Group continue their long-term cooperation, set all the way to 2020.
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Additional information:
University Rehabilitation Institute
of the Republic of Slovenia – Soča
Robert Cugelj, MSc., General Director
Telephone: 01/ 475 81 02
E-mail: robert.cugelj@ir-rs.si
Website: www.ir-rs.si
SIJ – Slovenian Steel Group
Anja Potočnik, Corporate Communication
Telephone: +386 1 242 98 18
Mobile: +386 51 693 184
E-mail: anja.potocnik@sij.si
