FAQ

At the same time, we have space for eight sick children with their families and four sick adolescents/young adults with accompanying persons. That's up to 40-50 people at full occupancy. We currently support over 300 families.

Our centre is the first children's hospice in Germany, so we support families from all over the country. There are a total of 16 other children's hospices spread across the whole of Germany, so that comprehensive care is guaranteed.

All of the children and adolescents who come to us are terminally ill and have a very short life expectancy. Most children come to us with metabolic or muscle diseases, but also with damage to the brain, nervous system and tumours, and most of them require the most severe care.

Families can come to our home several times a year (up to a total of 28 days), with the average length of stay being nine days. In the last phase of life, the family is admitted indefinitely - until the child's death and beyond.

Compared to adult hospices, children's and youth hospices have two special features in particular: The entire family comes to the children's and young people's hospice. The families are not only guests at Balthasar during the last phase of the children's and young people's lives. They come for a few days or weeks to "recharge their batteries" and return home strengthened. Of course, children and young people also come to us in the last phase of their lives and then pass away at the home.

No. Our home is run by the "Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft der Franziskanerinnen zu Olpe mbh". The Catholic faith is practised in our work, but the house is of course open to all faiths.

If you have any spiritual questions, we can put you in touch with the chaplains of all denominations or the sisters of the motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of Olpe. And, of course, the staff are always there for the families.

As employees, we experience difficult times with the children and families - but also many hours of happiness and joy. We also receive supervision and have a very good team in which we can deal with our own sadness. Psychological help is also available to us employees if required.

Around 70 employees (including part-time staff), mainly from the fields of nursing, paediatric nursing and education, but also housekeeping and administrative staff are employed here.

Yes, without the help of volunteers we would not be able to manage many tasks.

Around 25 volunteers currently support us, particularly in caring for siblings and some of the sick children, reading to them or taking them for walks.

Volunteers can also get involved in public relations work. Members of the Balthasar Circle of Friends accept donations or look after information stands. Simply contact us to find out whether the team of volunteers currently needs reinforcement.

No doctors are employed at the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice. However, medical care is of course provided by appropriate specialists (paediatrician, pain therapy). As part of the voluntary service, we offer a "paediatric pain therapy consultation" by paediatricians from the Datteln Children's Hospital at regular intervals.

The Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice Foundation urgently needs help to provide the best possible support for the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice and its young and old guests. Around 50% of the costs incurred are reimbursed by the health and care insurance funds.

Children's hospice work involves the whole family. However, the stay of the parents and healthy siblings is not covered by the cost bearers and must be financed entirely from donations. Most of the families affected are not in a position to make their own contribution.

Every euro helps to secure the basis for our work in the long term - so that we can continue to be a place to live and laugh, die and grieve.

As the care of children and young people and their families has to be financed to around 50 per cent by donations, you can help us most effectively by making a financial donation to the Balthasar Children's and Young People's Hospice Foundation.

Your donation contributes directly to providing short-term help, as the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice Foundation will use your donation "promptly" for the families at "Balthasar". Please note "Donation" (+ your address for the donation receipt) on your bank transfer.

Your contribution in the form of an endowment will increase the assets of the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice Foundation and, unlike a donation, will be retained 100 per cent. The interest income from the assets helps us regularly and in the long term. Any amount is welcome as an endowment, even many small amounts help to build up the foundation's assets and secure our work in the long term. This foundation is particularly important for our work in the current uncertain times.

Please note "Endowment" (+ your address for the donation receipt) on your transfer. For further information on the foundation, please request the brochure of the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice Foundation.

By becoming a sponsor, you make an important contribution to giving terminally ill children and young people a second home at the Balthasar children's and young people's hospice.

As a sponsor of the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice, you support the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice Foundation regularly (monthly or quarterly) with a fixed amount and thus help to secure the financial basis for the work at "Balthasar" in the long term.

Kinder- und Jugendhospizstiftung Balthasar
Pax Bank Köln
BIC GENODED1PAX
IBAN DE23 3706 0193 0000 0190 11

Anyone who supports our work with a donation is invited to find out more about the children's and young people's hospice in person. We regularly organise open days where you can also view living and recreation areas that are otherwise not accessible to protect the privacy of the families.

Please arrange any additional dates with us in good time. During visits outside the open day, you can get to know the therapy areas of the house, which already offer you a very good insight into the work of the children's and young people's hospice. For organisational reasons, please visit us with a group of no more than 12 people and only by prior arrangement.

The desire to help with a donation in kind is understandable. However, please bear in mind that new toys or aids do not have to be purchased regularly. Please contact us to find out whether something is currently needed.

The care of the children and their families, hospital clowns, music therapy, pain medicine counselling and aftercare for the families of deceased children, on the other hand, are investments that are required on an ongoing basis. You can provide the greatest help here with a financial donation.

Unfortunately, we are not allowed to accept used toys and books due to the hygiene regulations.

We will be happy to provide you with information material, posters or donation tins for your event. For cost reasons, we ask you to return the donation tins and any surplus brochures to us after the campaign.

Yes, but the minimum duration is 8 weeks and the minimum age is 18. Unfortunately, school internships are not possible.

With pleasure. Please contact the hospice or care service management to find out about current requirements.

Please visit our website for more information. There you will find all the information you need on the various areas of our work. You can also download or order information material at any time.