Gütersloh, 12/09/2022

€25,000 For Bielefeld Initiative ‘The Way Home’

Bertelsmann is once again donating €25,000 to the Bielefeld initiative “Der Weg nach Hause” (The Way Home). Since 2006, the Group has donated more than €400,000 to the association, enabling medical and social care for terminally ill children in their home environment.

Bertelsmann is once again donating €25,000 to the palliative care team “Der Weg nach Hause” and the children’s hospice run by the von Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen Bethel, thereby providing support for terminally ill children in the region. In this connection, the Group is forgoing Christmas gifts for business partners for the 16th time.

“Terminally ill children and teens require not only excellent medical care, but also the familial security and safety that only their own home can provide,” said Bertelsmann Chairman & CEO Thomas Rabe at the presentation of the donation. “I am therefore delighted to continue the tradition of our Christmas donation to ‘Der Weg nach Hause’ this year. Bertelsmann is pleased to support this important project and the exemplary work done by Prof. Hamelmann and Mr. Schwalfenberg’s teams.”

More than €400,000 since 2006

Thomas Rabe presented the donation check to Rainer Norden, Vice Chairman of the Executive Board of the von Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen Bethel, Prof. Dr. Eckard Hamelmann, Director of the University Clinic for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the Bethel Children’s Center, and Stefan Schwalfenberg, Senior Physician of the outpatient palliative care team “Der Weg nach Hause.” The presentation took place at Bertelsmann’s Corporate Center in Gütersloh. As in previous years, Thomas Rabe and his wife privately matched the Group’s donation.

“Der Weg nach Hause” enables seriously ill children and adolescents with a limited life expectancy to receive outpatient treatment in the familiar and safe environment of their homes. Since 2006, Bertelsmann has supported the initiative with more than €400,000. “Bertelsmann’s regular donations enable us to continuously expand our work. It allows us to offer the affected children and families individualized treatment tailored to their needs, and to provide the social support they need during these difficult times. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Bertelsmann for this,” said Eckard Hamelmann.