Bucharest, April 11, 2019 – The Vodafone Romania Foundation and the Motivation Foundation Romania announce a new free service for people with locomotor disabilities – computerized pressure assessment in the seated position. The service uses a unique equipment in Romania, BodiTrak, and aims to prevent bedsores and other medical complications to which wheelchair users are exposed. The equipment was purchased by the Motivation Foundation Romania as part of the project „Skills – Health and Active Life in a Wheelchair” financed by the Vodafone Romania Foundation with 169,000 lei through the Good Deeds Fund.
From April – to August 2019, free pressure testing sessions are scheduled in various localities in the country. Signing up for the evaluation can be done by calling the Wheelchair User’s Telephone – 0800 030 762, free of charge, from Monday to Friday between 09.00 and 16.00.
The BodiTrak Pressure Testing System increases awareness regarding risk of bedsores occurrence among people with spinal cord injuries that participate in the programs of the Motivation Foundation. The system is connected to a computer display and provides the tested person with a visual representation of the pressures recorded in the seated position. Motivation specialists who evaluate and prescribe suitable wheelchairs, as recommended by the World Health Organization, use the results of the assessment to correct the position of users by adjusting the wheelchairs or cushions and thus contributing to the care and health of people using wheelchairs.
Starting December 2018, the BodiTrak Pressure Testing System has been used in Bucharest to evaluate 35 people with bone marrow lesions. These are wheelchair users after going through accidents and are at risk of developing bedsores, which, if untreated, can lead to severe complications and even death.
To date, more than 140 personalized wheelchairs have been donated to people with locomotor disabilities in Bucharest and Ilfov, Prahova, Giurgiu, Ialomita, Dambovita, Calarasi, Iasi, Buzău, Teleorman, Constanţa. More than 70 wheelchair users, along with personal assistants and health specialists, took part in the health and active life training sessions organized by the Motivation teams in various communities and in recovery centers from Bucharest and the country. These sessions include counseling about the importance of a suitable wheelchair, the prevention of medical complications associated with the use of a wheelchair and practical demonstrations of a safe handling of the wheelchair. All of these have an important role in developing independent life skills and in resuming the roles of active members in the community.
In the 18 years of collaboration, the Vodafone Romania Foundation contributed with 2,154,874 lei to the programs developed by the Motivation Romania Foundation for the life improvement of people with disabilities.
The Vodafone Romania Foundation is a Romanian nongovernmental charitable organization, established in 1998, which operates separately and independently from the Vodafone Romania SA’s business. During its 20 years of activity, Vodafone Romania Foundation has funded 1,132 programs run by 730 NGOs throughout the country, in the fields of healthcare, education and social services. These projects had 3 million beneficiaries – children, young and old people, physically, socially or economically disadvantaged. So far, the Vodafone Romania Foundation has invested over 30 million euros in projects run by nonprofit partner organizations. More details about the Foundation’s programs are available at fundatia-vodafone.ro, http://jurnaldebine.fundatia-vodafone.ro/ and www.facebook.com/fundatiavodafone.
