Eurowings hands over employee donations to Balthasar Children's Hospice

The Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice in Olpe is once again the recipient of a generous donation of more than 18,500 Euro from employees of Eurowings and the Lufthansa Group, as well as their friends and families.

Hospice director Rüdiger Barth thanked the employees from the bottom of his heart during a virtual donation handover with Eurowings Chief Operations Officer Michael Knitter. Many fundraising events such as benefit concerts, sponsored runs and many more for the Balthasar Children's Hospice were cancelled this year due to the pandemic. Therefore, the donation is highly welcome.

According to Barth, the restrictions caused by the Corona pandemic have far-reaching consequences for the children's and youth hospice. For example, he said, not all hospice spaces can be occupied at the moment due to spacing regulations. Regular antigen tests for staff and residents are now standard, and many of the services offered at the hospice are restricted. This is because the young and old guests at Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice often have a weakened immune system due to their illnesses and therefore need special protection.

"Most families spend these times at home in complete isolation and loneliness, especially to protect their child. This is debilitating; each of us has realized how important social contacts are for all of us," Barth summarizes. He is especially grateful that despite difficult circumstances, operations at the children's hospice can continue and that he has so far been able to avoid layoffs and short-time work: "We are glad that we could and can continue to be there for our families at the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice - even if under unusual circumstances. Due to the necessary distance and wearing of masks, everyday life is of course different at the moment, offers for the families are cancelled or only take place in individual contact. But the main thing is: we can be a support and a second home for the families in this special situation."

The donations were already collected in December 2019 during the Eurowings Christmas party as well as the carnival party in spring 2020. Due to the Corona pandemic, the disbursement was delayed until the end of this year.

About the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice

As Germany's first children's hospice, the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice has been committed to caring for terminally ill children and their families since 1998. The hospice has set itself the goal of making the children's short lives as fulfilling and positive as possible and providing dignified and pain-free support until death. Eurowings has been supporting the children's hospice for three years now by organizing employee fundraising campaigns. https://www.kinderhospiz.de/