S-OIL gives new life to kids with biliary atresia

● S-OIL held the Donation Ceremony for Children with Biliary Atresia and donated 250 million won to the Korea National Council on Social Welfare.
   - The donation was raised by the refiner’s contribution and the “Wage Tale-cut Contribution Program” of its officers and employees.
   - S-OIL has supported the surgical expenses to 74 children for six years since 2009.

# Unlike other children, who are counting down the days until their summer vacation, Gyusang (8) is waiting for September when he will return to school. As soon as Gyusang was born, he was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare disease for new born babies, so he had to undergo a succession of large-scale surgeries. To him, an ordinary school life along with other kids would be bliss. Gyusang, who was born in September 2006, underwent the Kasai procedure as his first treatment, which made a new bile duct (an organ which transports bile to the intestine) just one month after his birth, but his progress was not good, so he had to receive regular repeat treatment at hospital. But thankfully, he regained his health after undergoing a liver transplant in April this year. His family feels deep appreciation towards S-OIL who stood staunchly by them throughout their lonely and long-standing ordeal with the disease.

S-OIL (CEO Nasser Al-Mahasher) donated 250 million won to the Korea National Council on Social Welfare (KNCSW) to support children with biliary atresia at its headquarters in Mapo, Gongdeok-dong, Seoul. The donation will be used to treat children with biliary atresia from low-income families on the recommendation of the KNCSW.

Biliary atresia is a rare condition in newborn infants in which part or the whole of the bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked, thus the bile fails to be transported to the intestine, which results in damage to the liver. The first treatment of biliary atresia is the Kasai procedure that creates a new bile duct where one is lacking. It is known that the prognosis is generally good if the procedure is conducted within eight weeks of birth. However, if the progress is not good, the second treatment is a liver transplant.

S-OIL was the first domestic company to sign an agreement with the KNCSW in 2009 to participate in the campaign “Bring Back Smiles to Children with Rare Diseases.” The donation is raised as a combination of the refiner’s donation and that of its officers and employees who donate amounts below the 10,000 won mark from their salaries each year. With this money, S-OIL has supported surgery for 74 children over the past six years.

“I heard that babies with biliary atresia, which threatens their life immediately from the moment of birth, can survive if they have an operation as soon as possible and it allows them to lead normal lives later on,” said S-OIL Vice President Cho Young-il. “S-OIL will make continuous efforts to bring back happy smiles to ailing children and their families,” he added.

In addition to offering surgical expenses to children with biliary atresia, S-OIL carries out other diverse activities to support them, such as inviting the children and their families to Jeju Island each year and holding the “Sunshine-sharing Camp.” Also, the company has its in-house photographer club members take their family pictures each month through a talent sharing event and they send family photo albums to each family.