Press Release

Press Release | Gütersloh, 12/16/2025

Bertelsmann Supports Bethel Children’s Palliative Care With €25,000 Again

From left: Prof. Eckard Hamelmann, Director of the University Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at the Bethel Children's Center, Stefan Schwalfenberg, Senior Physician of the outpatient palliative care team “Der Weg nach Hause” (The Way Home), Thomas Rabe, CEO of Bertelsmann, and Christoph Nolting, CFO of the v. Bodelschwinghschen Stiftungen Bethel.

  • Support for critically ill children
  • Total donations since 2006 reach €500,000
  • Company forgoes Christmas gifts for business partners for the 19th time

Gütersloh, December 16, 2025 – Gütersloh, December 16, 2025 – Bertelsmann is continuing its long-standing commitment to supporting critically ill children and their families by once again providing €25,000 to the palliative care team “Der Weg nach Hause” (The Way Home) and the children’s and youth hospice operated by the v. Bodelschwingh Foundations Bethel. The donation marks the 19th consecutive year in which the company has made this contribution in place of Christmas gifts for its business partners.

This year’s donation check was presented at Bertelsmann’s Corporate Center in Gütersloh, with long-standing representatives from Bethel, including Prof. Dr. Eckard Hamelmann, Director of the University Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at the Bethel Children’s Center, and Stefan Schwalfenberg, Senior Physician on the outpatient palliative care team, taking part. Also attending, for the first time, was Christoph Nolting, the newly appointed Chief Financial Officer of the v. Bodelschwingh Foundations Bethel.

Thomas Rabe, Bertelsmann Chairman and CEO, said: “The work done by the palliative care team and the children’s hospice is truly invaluable. They give families facing incredibly difficult circumstances stability, closeness, and professional support when they need it most. We want to help make sure this essential care can continue in the long term.”

Christoph Nolting said: “For us, the continuity of this support really matters. It gives us the flexibility to plan ahead and helps secure services that would be very difficult to provide without donations like this.”

Prof. Dr. Eckard Hamelmann said: “Demand continues to grow, and we expect the number of families we support to rise again in 2026. By combining medical care with psychosocial and family-centered support, ‘Der Weg nach Hause’ helps children and young people with life-limiting illnesses maintain a good quality of life during an extremely challenging time – often in their own homes.”

“Der Weg nach Hause” enables critically ill children and adolescents to receive treatment and support within the protective environment of their families. The initiative combines highly specialized professional care with the warmth and familiarity of the home. Bertelsmann has supported this important work since 2006, with total donations now amounting to around €500,000.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services, and education company with about 75,000 employees that operates in some 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company generated revenues of €19 billion in the 2024 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.