Gütersloh, 12/07/2021

Bertelsmann Donates €25,000 For ‘The Way Home’

Bertelsmann is once again donating €25,000 to the Bielefeld-based initiative “Der Weg nach Hause” (The Way Home) this year. As in previous years, the company is refraining from giving Christmas gifts to business partners. Since 2006, the Group has donated a total of around €400,000 to the Bethel palliative care team and the children’s hospice run by the von Bodelschwinghschen Stiftungen Bethel foundation in this way.

Bertelsmann is once again supporting terminally ill children in the region this year: The Group is once again donating €25,000 to the Bethel palliative care team “Der Weg nach Hause” (The Way Home) and the children’s hospice run by the von Bodelschwinghschen Stiftungen Bethel. The company is foregoing Christmas gifts for business partners in this connection. Bertelsmann Chairman & CEO Thomas Rabe recently presented the donation check to Dr. Eckard Hamelmann, Chief Physician of the Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at the Bethel Children’s Center, and Stefan Schwalfenberg, Chief Physician of the outpatient palliative team “Der Weg nach Hause” (The Way Home)”.

Donation to fund part-time position for social worker

“Our Christmas donation to ‘The Way Home’ is a longstanding tradition,” said Thomas Rabe. “This is the 15th consecutive year we have donated since 2006. We have the utmost respect for the exemplary work that the teams led by Prof. Hamelmann and Mr. Schwalfenberg do every day, and will continue to support them in the years to come.” Eckard Hamelmann thanked Thomas Rabe and explained, “In the year ahead, Bertelsmann’s donation will specifically benefit our children’s palliative care team as well as the Bethel Children’s and Youth Hospice in the areas of social work and education. This generous donation will fund a part-time position for a social worker on our outpatient team, and in the children’s hospice, it will support the team of educators.”

“The Way Home” enables terminally ill children to receive treatment in their home environment, providing not only competent medical care but also the all-important familiar security of their families. Bertelsmann has supported the initiative with a total of around €400,000 since 2006.