Bird drawings that heal

March 12, 2020

On March 12, in the Latvian National Museum of the Natural History, the new artist Santagora Lavander’s (Ieva Jaundāldere) exhibition “The Flight” was opened.

Ieva Jaundāldere is a romantic and gentle young woman, whose paintings, ceramics and textiles reflect her love towards the nature and birds, inherited from her grandfather, former worker of the museum and ornithologist Kārlis Grigulis. Unfortunately, Ieva spends her days fighting for her health.

Ieva needs our support in managing severe diabetes. Together we can help – by purchasing her pieces of art or donating.


Charity foundation BeOpen

Reg. No. 50008218201

Bank account: LV59 CBBR 1123 2155 000 10

SWIFT: CBBRLV22

Purpose: Supporting Ieva Jaundāldere

Asylum in the world of legends and tales

Ieva dreams of participation in the art festivals and exhibitions. She wants to illustrate children’s books and fairy-tales; to draw cartoons and cards; to work with clay and laser engraving technique. She wants to bring the beauty in the lives of other people – so that her art, which contains part of her soul, would bring joy to people and decorate their homes.

In between Ieva’s pieces of art, there are many illustrations of different legends and tales – it is a world in harmony, and everything is flawless there. However, Ieva is a very humble and shy person, and when she faces the reality, she loses ground under her feet. Fear of seizures becomes her comrade. She needs a special device to monitor her severe diabetes.


The price of health and life

The device Freestyle Libre 2 is a crucial necessity for Ieva to live and work, and to overcome her fear of the unpredictable future, when hypoglycemic coma or severe complications can occur anytime.

Diabetic patients have to constantly check their blood sugar to understand what happens in their body. Ieva’s fingers have been all pierced with the fingerstick. When the signals of increase or decrease of blood sugar are recognized in a timely manner, it is easier to avoid the hospitalization – Lielvārde is quite far from the Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital in Riga.

“Ieva’s story harshly and directly tells us that 1,700 EUR is the price of a year of life with high-risk diabetes. Thus, we cover another area where we need the support of our society. However, we hope that each of these stories will make a step closer to the governmental support a few years later,” says the charity foundation’s BeOpen board member Ingrīda Šmite.

What Freestyle Libre 2 is

This is a continuous glucose monitoring device that helps the patient to control diabetes and avoid sudden changes in the glucose level. The device consists of sensor and receiver that displays the readings.

A disposable sensor is inserted in the skin of the back of the shoulder, and it measures glucose level for 14 days. Then a new sensor is necessary. If glucose level rises or falls outside the range, the sensor beeps or vibrates. The cost of the sensors for 2 years is 3,400 euros, for 3 years – 5,100 euros. Three years is the period of time that is necessary to fulfil Ieva’s next dream – to establish the family and to give safe birth to a child.