Celebrating Children’s Hospice Day

Categories: Care, Community Engagement, and Featured.

Children’s Hospice Day is celebrated in Germany on 10th February every year. This year, the Federal Association of Children’s Hospice (Bundesverband Kinderhospiz e.V. – BVKH) drew attention to affected families and the work of the children’s hospice facilities. In Germany, there are around 50,000 children and adolescents who have life-shortening illnesses. For them and their families, the Federal Association of Children’s Hospice is committed to bringing them from the social sidelines back into the middle of society.

 

For this year’s Children’s Hospice Day, they gave teddy bears with the green band of solidarity for the Children’s Hospice! A teddy bear with a green ribbon around the neck. With this symbolic cuddly toy, BVKH drew attention to children’s hospice work. “The green ribbons are for children with life-shortening conditions and their relatives – similar to the red ribbon on World AIDS Day – it is a visible sign of social solidarity. This kind of public sympathy and attention is very important for those affected because terminally ill children whose life is limited and their families live in a permanent state of emergency,” explains Sabine Kraft, Managing Director of the Federal Association of Children’s Hospice.

 

On the occasion of this year’s Day of Children’s Hospice Work, the patient representative of the Federal Government, Stefan Schwartze, explains, “When a child has a life-threatening illness it’s just terrible. Affected children and their loved ones have been subjected to extreme physical and mental burdens for years. They need as much support and companionship as possible. Therefore, I am extremely grateful that the nationwide Day of Children’s Hospitality Work draws attention to the situation of those affected and the outstanding importance of children’s hospice work in Germany. I would like to use this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and sincere appreciation to all the people who are engaged in the children’s hospice work as a major or volunteer. Engaged and with great empathy, you make an invaluable contribution to the best possible care for children and young people with life-threatening diseases, as well as to the important support and relief of their loved ones.”

The everyday life of affected children and families is often characterised by:

  • Worries and fears about the health of the child
  • Insufficient social law information and support, and
  • Having to struggle with social isolation.

Showing solidarity on February 10 is quite simple: with a green ribbon. Anyone who wears a green ribbon on the day of the children’s hospice work – on the bag, on the lapel, or on the car, says to affected families: ‘You are not alone’ – an infinitely valuable sign for all those who have to master such a fate, especially in these challenging times of the corona pandemic.

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