Charity Project "Help Children with Mobility Impairment to Walk"

Keyword "Elisabet"

PROJECT – AGREEMENT
 
1. Brief description of project:

The project has been launched under civil initiative due to the fact that gait-training robot Pediatric Lokomat, an active gait training and restoration device necessary for children with mobility impairment, is not available in the Republic of Estonia. A similar gait-training robot intended for adults is available in Estonia, but that does not allow providing the service to children aged 4–12. But that is exactly the age at which children with mobility impairment especially need to obtain the right gait pattern. There are at least 800 children in Estonia, who would need the help of the gait-training robot. The gait-training robot Pediatric Lokomat intended specially for treating children would be put to use through the existing rehabilitation system.

2. Project objectives:

• To bring to Estonia the gait-training robot Pediatric Lokomat manufactured in Switzerland especially for treating children;
• To use the gait-training robot to treat children with mobility impairment, developing or restoring their gait pattern, which has been damaged due to nervous system defects;
• To put the robot to work through the existing systems in Estonia;
• To raise the funds for purchasing the robot by way of charity cooperation from funds, institutions, private persons, parties, the public system and elsewhere;
• To set the robot up at a place easily accessible from all over Estonia, e.g. at Viljandi at the centre of Estonia, thus enabling the provision of services to children with mobility impairment who need gait-treatment in Estonia.

3. General information:

3.1 Number of children requiring treatment in Estonia

Most of the children who could learn to walk with the help of robotic gait-training device are the victims of birth trauma (Cerebral palsy - PCI), trauma- related brain damage or other neurological disorders that affect their mobility. Therefore they would need support learning to walk or restoring their walking pattern. The mental abilities of these children are not  necessarily affected. Cerebral palsy is one of the most common causes of mobility impairment at early age. In Estonia there is no registry of children with mobility impairment, but according to literature the occurrence of medium and severe cases of PCI is 2,0 - 5,8: 1000. Assumingly, there are approximately 800 children with PCI diagnosis and in addition to them, there are several other children and youngsters with different diagnoses and traumas who could benefit from the device. According to the articles published in local media upon introducing Lokomat gait-training robot for adults, we learned that every year 300-500 children suffer brain traumas, the number of adults with similar injuries reaches 1000. In July of 2008 when Lokomat for adults was first introduced in Estonia, the president of UNICEF, Ms. Elle Kull stated in media that approximately 1800 youngsters are annually hospitalized due to traumas.

3.2  The Options of Pediatric Lokomat (according to the manufacturer)

3.2.1 Treating disabilities caused by following diseases:

• Cerebral palsy (PCI)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Paraplegia
• Hemiplegia
• Brain trauma
• Muscular dystrophy

3.2.2  Pediatric Lokomat parameters:

3.2.3  General overview of Lokomat system:  

• A driven robotic gait orthosis guides the patient’s legs on a treadmill offering a wide range of training possibilities;
• Faster progress through longer and more intensive training sessions compared to manual treadmill training;
• Physical strain on therapists is relieved, single operator mode;
• Patient walking activity is easily monitored and assessed;
• Improved motivation through visualized performance feedback;
• Gait pattern and guidance force are individually adjustable to the patient‘s needs

Lokomat enables repeating the same movement for hundreds of times during one 45 minute session, that intensive training is impossible in regular physical therapy.

4. Project Activities:

4.1  To build a team (the managing board of the project) consisting of the representatives of disability organisations and private persons.

4.2  Private persons act as volunteers

4.3  Drawing up a joint action plan, dividing tasks between the partners (according to clause 7)

4.4  Launching a media campaign introducing Lokomat and explaining its necessity

4.5  Launching a campaign to find cooperation partners. Search for possible partners and system of placing cooperation proposals to be created during the project.

4.6  Raising money to the special bank account of the project belonging to the Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment.

4.7  Communicating with the manufacturer of Lokomat in Switzerland, compiling documentation for the purchase.

4.8  Solving the possible problems with the service providers.

4.9  All issues concerning the training of the robot operators to be solved in process.

4.10 Purchasing Pediatric Locomat from Hocoma AG upon receiving sufficient funds and submitting it to the service provider on a contract basis.

4.11 Setting up of the robot and starting to provide the service.

The project will be considered concluded upon shipping Pediatric Lokomat to Estonia, training the personnel, robotic device is set up and necessary reports submitted.

5. Schedule of activities:

Start of activities November 2008, deadline undefined.

The deadline of the project is the time of its realisation, i.e. the date the service is available to the users.

6. Project budget:

• According to the manufacturer Hocoma AG's offer (No.AG0773-001) the price of gait-training robot is 280 720 EUR. This model would be suitable for both children and adults. 
• The project will be divided into stages. During the first stage, a gait-training robot suitable for children costing 220 720 EUR will be purchased.
• Special parts to adapt it to the adults' needs can be purchased later.

6.1 Principles of the budget:

• The project will cover the purchasing costs, transport, import taxes, installation and training costs of the operators of the gait-training robot.
• SA Viljandi Haigla (Viljandi Hospital) will cover all costs related to furnishing the premises,installation of the robot at the center, salaries during the training period,servicing the gait-training robot and offering the service to the patients.

6.2 Ownership

Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment (ELIL) will purchase the gait-training device and submits it to SA Viljandi Haigla for use free of charge. All details will be agreed upon in a contract concluded between the parties.  


7.   Project team: implementers, supporters and their activities

7.1 Project implementer (member of the management board):

Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment
Representative: Managing Director  Auli Lõoke, phone: 6720223; 5293144, elil@elil.ee,
Endla 59 10615 Tallinn

• Accumulating donations to the special bank account of the Union called Elisabet
• Supervision over the intentional use of the funds
• Project related accounting
• Archiving necessary documentation (minutes of the board meetings, reports, letters, personal information of the donors, etc).
• Helping the project in legal matters 
• Promoting the project
• Communicating with the relevant public institutions
• Searching information about possible donors
• Keeping a registry of donors and informing the public about donors (with the consent of the donor).

The project will be implemented under the name of Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment.

7.2  Initiator of the project:

The Luts family - works for free as an act of civic initiative.
Representative: Ako Luts - Project manager, coordinator (member of the board)
Address: Vahelaane talu, Metsküla, Suure-Jaani vald 71301 Viljandimaa
phone 5063697, vahelaane@hot.ee

• Overall coordination of the project, preparing initial documents
• Communication with the team,sponsors and donors.

Representative: Kadri Mägi - Communication coordinator of the project
phone  5104301; catry@hot.ee

• Communication with the parties outside Estonia
• Public relations

7.3 Service provider (member of the board):

SA Viljandi Haigla (SA Viljandi Hospital)

Representative: Enno Kase - (member of the board), Member of the Hospital Board, leading physician
phone 4352022; 5249376; vmh@vmh.ee

•    Necessary preparations for providing service
•    Receiving and implementing the gait-training robot,
•    Providing service.

7.4 Project member:

7.4.1 Council of the Disabled People of Viljandi
Representative: Urve Kimmel  - managing director, phone 56618546; kimmel@hot.ee

• Establishing the number of children who could benefit from the gait-training robot (ages 4-12) and increasing the awareness about the project (and the availability of the service) in Estonia. 
• Involving possible donors and supporters in the project

7.4.2 Communication bureau Powerhouse
Representative: Janek Mäggi ; phone 5072 989; janek.maggi@powerhouse.ee

• Helps to develop and implement the media plan

7.4.3 Advertising agency Kala Ruudus
Representative: Kent Raju; phone 56457223; kent@kalaruudus.ee

• Helps to design necessary visual and printed solutions

8. Bank account of the project:

The bank account of Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment

• A separate account of the project: 221030392994, Swedbank, keyword „Elisabet",
• Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment has been entered into the register of non-profit associations and foundations not subject to income tax

9. Project Team

9.1  The project team is working on the basis of this project, which is also the team cooperation agreement
9.2  The project team works for free as an act of civil initiative.
9.3  The project management board makes additional decisions if necessary.
9.4  The project management board decides the usage of collected funds.
9.5. According to the decision of the project management board the donors and supporters receive the titles according to the recognition system.
9.6  Any changes in the project, including termination, suspension or extension of the project are done based on a written decision by the project management board.
9.7  All disputes between the team members and/or the sponsors are solved in the form of negotiations or in court according to Estonian Legislation.
9.8  The project is written in Estonian language and signed in seven copies, each team member holding one.
 
10. Project appendices:

10.1  Appendix 1:  Recognition system of the donors
10.2. Appendix 2:  List of the supporters and donors - updated during the project

11.  Signatures of the team members:

   1. Project implementer: Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment
      managing director Ms. Auli Lõoke
   2. Project service provider: SA Viljandi Haigla
      leading physician Mr. Enno Kase
   3. Project team member: Council of the Disabled People of Viljandi
      managing director Ms. Urve Kimmel
   4. Project team member: Communication Bureau Powerhouse
      representative: Mr. Janek Mäggi
   5. Project team member: Advertising agency Kala Ruudus
      representative: Mr. Kent Raju

   6. Project initiators: the Luts family:

 representatives:  Elisabet's mother - Ms. Üllike Luts

                             Elisabet's father - Mr. Kaido Luts

                             Elisabet's aunt - Ms. Kadri Mägi

                             Elisabet's grandfather - Mr. Ako Luts

 

December 10^th 2008 at the office of Estonian Union of Persons with Mobility Impairment

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