Clinic Management: Joy Helps Heal
The campaign was a highlight for children who have to spend Christmas at the clinic. Such moments are important, especially for sick children, who are nevertheless in a difficult situation and in a strange environment, emphasizes Christoph Härtel, director of the children’s clinic at the university hospital in Würzburg. Laughter and joy would aid healing. The situation in times of Corona is particularly difficult, as visits are still only possible to a limited extent and, for example, there is no mention of a Santa Claus campaign in the ward. The spectacular climbing mission was the perfect solution here, says the director of the clinic.
During the Christmas season, the children’s clinic therefore tries to control the care in such a way that, if possible, no child has to be in the hospital, but can celebrate at home in the family atmosphere.
National campaign: 52 units have become Santa Claus
The high-altitude rescuers of the Würzburg fire brigade answered the nationwide call of the fire brigade’s high-altitude rescue groups with their spectacular deployment. The Hamburg fire brigade had coordinated the actions together with the Ulm high-altitude rescue team. In children’s hospitals all over Germany, young patients were similarly surprised. In Bavaria, the altitude rescue groups from Munich, Ingolstadt, Ansbach and Nuremberg were active together with the team from Würzburg.
In Würzburg, the campaign was a complete success. The university hospital and the mountain rescuers agree that in future the campaign will be carried out annually. After the university children’s clinic, the climbing Santa Clauses continued for the young patients of the Missio children’s clinic in Würzburg.
