Nicosia-based charity Cans For Kids, has donated a medin-NC3® CPAP driver valued at over €14,500 to Limassol Hospital’s neonatal department, it said on Thursday.
The specialised breathing support equipment, purchased entirely with proceeds from aluminum can recycling, was formally presented to Health Minister Michael Damianos during a handover ceremony at the hospital.
“The cumulative value of equipment donated to our hospitals since we started in 1990 has now reached almost €350,000,” said Rosie Charalambous, President of Cans For Kids, highlighting the environmental benefits of the initiative. “That’s several million cans that have not polluted our lovely island by going to landfill.”
The donation comes approximately two years after the charity’s previous contribution of similar value to Makarios Hospital, demonstrating the organisation’s consistent impact on pediatric healthcare facilities across Cyprus.
Health Minister Damianos expressed gratitude for the charity’s ongoing support. “We warmly thank Cans For Kids for their latest donation and their continued support of the island’s pediatric facilities,” he stated during the ceremony.
Dr Maria Agathocleous, Director of Pediatrics at Limassol Hospital, explained the clinical significance of the new equipment. “It offers the Neonatal Department a modern breathing support machine for premature or full-term newborns who need it,” she said, noting that the device allows medical staff to provide precise oxygen concentrations without supplementary air, a capability not available with existing equipment.
The event also highlighted the role of corporate partnerships in sustaining the charity’s operations. Georgia Lefkariti, Executive Director of Petrolina (Holdings) Public Ltd, attended the ceremony, representing a company that has provided fuel for the charity’s collection vehicles for many years.
Charalambous acknowledged this support, noting that “Petrolina’s generous contribution enables us to collect cans from all over Cyprus, and means that our precious funds can go straight to the purchase of more medical equipment.”
Founded in 1990, Cans For Kids has pioneered recycling initiatives in Cyprus, extending collection services beyond urban centers to rural communities and actively engaging schools in sustainability education and volunteerism.
Environmental experts note that aluminum recycling requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce new aluminum, making the charity’s work particularly effective from both resource conservation and economic perspectives.
(Pictures by Emma Louise Charalambous)
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