Press Release | Guetersloh/Berlin, 03/15/2016

Bertelsmann Hosts ‘Rosenball 2016’ Benefit Gala for Pediatric Stroke Aid Campaign

• Live stage performance by pop legends Simply Red and Nena
• 600 guests expected at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Berlin
• Donations to go primarily to establishing a network of clinics for pediatric stroke victims

Children who suffer a stroke usually have to travel great distances with their families to access treatment by specialists. Liz Mohn, Founder of the German Stroke Foundation, and Bertelsmann would like to change this. On April 30 in Berlin, they will jointly host the 12th Rosenball charity gala. This time, the evening’s donations will primarily go to establishing a network of pediatric treatment centers designed to give young stroke victims a chance at a fast, qualified diagnosis and optimum treatment.

Liz Mohn and Bertelsmann are expecting some 600 illustrious guests from politics, business, society and culture at the Rosenball – one of Germany’s most glamorous charity galas, to be held at the end of April in the Grand Ballroom of the Berlin InterContinental hotel. Their guests will be treated to a top-class live program, as two true pop legends take to the stage: the hit British band Simply Red led by its front man Mick Hucknall, and Nena, one of the most successful artists in German music history.

Simply Red became worldwide legends with hits like “Holding Back the Years”, “If You Don't Know Me by Now”, “Something Got Me Started” and “Stars”. The popular band has sold some 65 million records so far over the three decades of their successful career.

Nena, pop icon and artistic all-rounder, had a worldwide hit with “99 Red Balloons” in 1983, and has been a key part of the German music scene ever since. Nena has released numerous successful albums and also made headlines as a member of pop juries. Both Simply Red and Nena are signed with Bertelsmann’s music subsidiary BMG.

The entertainer Tom Gaebel & His orchestra will ensure a lively dance floor on the night of April 30 to May 1. Rosenball guests will also enjoy a four-course gala meal. The evening will be emceed by TV presenters Frauke Ludowig and Guido Maria Kretschmer – both are ambassadors of the German Stroke Foundation.

The German Stroke Foundation promotes stroke prevention and awareness of risk factors, as well as initiatives for better care for stroke patients, throughout the nation. The Pediatric Stroke Aid campaign initiated by Liz Mohn is especially concerned with matters involving the youngest victims. Each year, at least 300 children in Germany – but most probably many more – suffer a stroke, often in the womb or at birth. The estimated number of unreported cases is so high because many childhood strokes are never diagnosed at all or only years later.

In the years ahead, the Pediatric Stroke Aid Campaign will primarily sponsor children's hospitals with proven neurological expertise, to expand them into specialized pediatric stroke centers. About ten locations are planned, to be distributed throughout Germany. The aim is that no pediatric stroke victim will need to travel more than 200km for optimum care. The first two centers to be sponsored will be those at the University Children's Hospital in Münster and the Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital in Munich. Funds will be donated for the training and coaching of physicians, for research, and for equipment. Another important focus of the Pediatric Stroke Aid campaign will be on large-scale public relations efforts in the regions.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is an international media company whose core divisions encompass television (RTL Group), book publishing (Penguin Random House), magazine publishing (Gruner + Jahr), services (Arvato), and printing (Be Printers) in some 50 countries. In 2013, the company’s businesses, with their more than 111,000 employees, generated revenues of €16.4 billion. Bertelsmann stands for a combination of creativity and entrepreneurship that empowers the creation of first-rate media, communications, and service offerings to inspire people around the world and to provide innovative solutions for customers.

About the German Stroke Foundation
Each year, close to 270,000 people in Germany suffer a stroke. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Germany, and the most common cause of disability in adulthood. The German Stroke Foundation was founded by Liz Mohn in 1993. Independent and devoted to the common good, it is dedicated to its constitutional mandate to prevent strokes and contribute to improving the care of stroke patients. It develops innovative treatment concepts and makes an important contribution to improving the quality of care by issuing certifications for special stroke units. More than 190 doctors volunteer their time to support the awareness-building and information efforts of the Foundation, under whose umbrella more than 450 stroke support groups have also been set up nationwide.