The Children's Faculty Hospital Košice (DFN) is a specialized and terminal hospital in eastern Slovakia and one of the three children's university hospitals in Slovakia. U. S. Steel Košice has been supporting DFN since the beginning of its operation in Košice, either directly or through the U. S. Steel Košice Foundation.

In recent days, the reconstruction of the above-standard hospital room called U. S. Wing, to which U. S. Steel Košice contributed EUR 58,800, has been completed. The advantage of this room is that the parent can spend time with their child in a dignified and cultural environment during hospitalization.

At the same time, it was possible to expand the equipment of the operating theatres of DFN Košice with a top-quality ultrasound surgical aspirator CUSA® Clarity, which helps especially in the operations of pediatric patients in the field of neurosurgery, thanks to the support from the U. S. Steel Košice Foundation in the amount of EUR 147,632.

The ceremonial handover of this device and the renovated hospital room was attended by the acting president of U. S. Steel Košice, Mike Piekut, on Monday, April 28. On this occasion, the director of DFN Košice, MUDr. Andrej Koman, MBA said:

"I want to thank all healthcare professionals for their support and cooperation, they help us provide quality health care. The stay of a parent with a child in the hospital is an important factor in the treatment of young patients. The construction of an above-standard room increases the comfort of pediatric patients and their guides, but it is also important from the point of view of building the planned superstructure of DFN Košice, because during the demanding construction period, we are dependent on each additional bed. At the same time, the change in workplace culture brought about by the U.S. Wing Hospital Room is an added value and a very significant contribution to the well-being of employees. At the same time, I also want to thank you for what you have shown in the form of the U. S. Steel Košice Foundation – and that is a high degree of culture. The foundation has always been open to children and I myself consider these investments to be the most valuable.“

Among the most significant improvements to the renovated room is the kitchenette, which contributes to comfort during hospitalization, especially for patients with specific dietary restrictions. The patient can be connected to modern ramps for medical gases.

UThe CUSA® Clarity ultrasound surgical aspirator with accessories is used on the Central Operating Tract. This modern system allows doctors to remove pathological tissues – such as tumors – very precisely and gently without unnecessary damage to the healthy brain tissue of the child. The technology is designed to minimize the risk of complications, shorten the time of surgery and at the same time speed up the postoperative recovery of the little patient. The use of this technique also helps to shorten the necessary period of hospitalization, which contributes to the overall improvement of the comfort of the child and their loved ones. The spectrum of operable children at DFN Košice has thus expanded to include younger and more at-risk young patients.

"In developed countries, such a device is a common part of neurosurgical equipment – so we are glad that we can use it in our country. In addition to neurosurgery, it can also be used in other fields, such as paediatric surgery, thoracic surgery or orthopedics," explained MUDr. Tomáš Andráš, MBA – DFN Medical Deputy for Surgical Specialties.

Mike Piekut appreciated the enthusiasm of the hospital team for improving the quality of child care:

"Since we do business in the east of Slovakia, it is very important for us to give something back to the people who live here. We are very happy that we were able to support DFN Košice, but the hard work was done by those who implemented these projects. And the real heroes are the paramedics who do a great job of caring for the little patients. We are honored to be able to help them in their efforts."

On the cover photo from the left: Slávka Tvrdoňová - Administrator of the U. S. Steel Košice Foundation, Mike Piekut - Deputy President of USSK, MUDr. Tomáš Andráš, MBA - Medical Deputy of DFN Košice for Surgical Specialties, MUDr. Eva Sádová - Medical Deputy of DFN Košice for Non-Surgical Fields and Director of DFN Košice MUDr. Andrej Koman, MBA