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2007

Project 15

2006

Project 14

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2005

Project 12

Project 11
Part2

Project 11

Project 7
Part3

Project 7
Part2

Project 10

2004

Project 9

Project 8

Project 7

Project 6

Project 5

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Project 2

Project 1

Project Seven Part 2
Alexey's Hope to Walk May Come True

Alexey suffers from cerebral palsy. He is barely able to move and has been in pain all his life. Thanks to the 1% New Nudes New Hopes Charity and generous donations from a number of members, we have been able to send Alexey to a specialist health clinic in the Crimea.

Tanya Shumeyko tells the story:
A month ago Alexey and his mother Olga arrived in Evpatoria, one of the nicest towns in the Crimea, and a place where there are a lot of health centers, rest homes and seaside resorts.

Alexey had come to the best health center in the Ukraine for tackling problems with the musculoskeletal system. Not only Ukrainians receive medical treatment at the center. Many foreigners come because doctors here perform a unique operation after which many children start to walk, often for the first time in their lives. It is very difficult to get a place in this center and, while it usually takes two to three months, we managed to get a place in just three days thanks to my major work in Parliament. When it is for a good cause, people don't mind pulling strings.

The first thing that had to be done was a complete checkup. It took a week. After that, doctors decided that Alexey had a chance to walk one day. But it would be necessary to do three operations on his legs. Olga had her doubts at first, but when she understood that it was Alexey's only chance to walk, she didn't want him to lose the opportunity. There will be a three months rehabilitation period, and other problems, but each day she felt more secure in her decision.

Now, I'll try to explain the main points of the operations. Alexey's legs will need to be cut in three places (all the tendons): heel tendon, hamstring and groin tendon. Four weeks after the first operation, doctors will perform the second, the third after another four weeks. All this time, his legs remain in plaster. After rehabilitation, Alexey will start to learn to walk, though his knee-joints will bend in the opposite direction, much like a grasshopper. But without the operation, he will never be able to walk. The first operation was done on 6 November. We all hope it was successful, but must wait before we know exactly.

In the first report for the Hegre Charity Initiative, I stated that Alexey would be swimming with dolphins at the clinic, one of the procedures that has had great success. But in Alexey's case it was considered that an operation would be more effective.

Thanks to the Charity Initiative, we have been able to do something very special for one little boy. Alexey wants to walk and be like other children, to feel that he is a valuable member of society. Alexey's mother couldn't find words to thank us for this help. She would never have been able to raise the funds herself and, in thanks, presented Petter Hegre and myself with a beautiful piece of artwork made by her children. For both of us, and on behalf of Hegre-Archives members, it was the best thanks we could have received.

I hope to meet Alexey again in three months and ask him about his impressions and further plans.


Tanya Shumeyko, for 1% New Nudes New Hopes.