Last week, we welcomed Mrs Elsbeth Wolf to the foundation. She came to our attention through a donor who has been associated with us for many years, Mrs Massieu – a wonderful example of how personal networks can do good.
Every year, Mrs Wolf organises a backyard festival in Frankfurt-Nied. This year’s event had a special focus: collecting donations for children’s cancer research at our Dr Petra Joh research centre. An impressive €500 was raised – a strong sign of civic engagement that flows directly into our research.
We would like to say a big thank you – for this initiative, for Mrs Massieu’s recommendation and for the trust in our mission: research helps to heal. Actions like this show how relationships can create real impact – and how every connection can become a benefactor.
Thanks to Brother for this great event and the support via running shoe! Over 1000! kilometres were run by engaged employees in Bad Vilbel, Hesse, to collect donations for the Frankfurt Foundation for Children with Cancer. The result? An impressive donation of 20,000 euros for hope of a cure for children with cancer – which will go directly towards our research at the Dr Petra Joh Research House. Because paediatric cancer is rare, but merciless. Too many children still die or suffer from the late effects. Every research project, every discovery, every advance brings us a step closer to a cure. This is precisely why corporate initiatives such as the Golden Ring Run are so valuable: they combine sporting commitment with social impact.
A huge THANK YOU to all runners, donors and supporters. You make the difference – one step at a time.
We recently had the pleasure of being a guest at the annual charity event organised by the Freigericht classic car and motorsport club – an event full of passion, the sound of engines and impressive solidarity.
The sale of food and drinks as well as numerous spontaneous donations made on site resulted in fantastic proceeds totalling €1,716.84. This sum was ceremoniously presented to our foundation – a significant contribution to research in the field of paediatric oncology.
Every euro goes towards the further development of innovative therapies and scientific projects with the aim of giving children with cancer a new chance of recovery.
Our heartfelt thanks go to the entire team at OMV Freigericht for their extraordinary commitment, to all the helping hands behind the scenes – and of course to the numerous guests who sent a strong signal of social responsibility by taking part.
Picture (from left): Max Schad (Member of Parliament for the CDU in the Main-Kinzig district), Dirk Herrmann (initiator of the classic car rally), Verena Schröter (Marketing Foundation), Marcus Klüssendorf (GM Foundation), Gerald Helfrich (Mayor of Gründau)
At the end of last year, we welcomed Dr. Markus Pfuhl, Managing Director of the Viessmann Foundation gGmbH, to our foundation.As part of a reorientation of the Viessmann Foundation’s philanthropic focus, we introduced him to the research priorities at the Dr. Petra Joh Research Center.He was particularly impressed by the RCCL, the “Resistant Cancer Cell Line Collection.”A globally unique cell bank of over 3,000 cancer cell lines made resistant, which allows us to address the therapeutic problem of resistance that would otherwise be impossible in young patients.It takes about a year to make a cancer cell line resistant, meaning over 3,000 years of work have gone into this cell bank, which is stored in nitrogen-filled cryogenic tanks at -196 degrees Celsius.At the beginning of this year, we received the great news that the Viessmann Foundation would be providing substantial support to the cell bank for three years.
In addition to Dr. Markus Pfuhl, Byung-Hun Park, VP of Corporate Communications, was present at the handover.Further opportunities for collaboration were explored at the photo opportunity, so we look forward to a long-term partnership with the Viessmann Foundation. We would also like to expressly thank Max Viessmann and the entire team for their support!
Photo (from left): Byung-Hun Park, VP Corporate Communications, Viessmann Generations Group;Dr. Markus Pfuhl, Managing Director, Viessmann Foundation gGmbH;Dr. Daniela Golz, Marketing & Public Relations;Uwe Menger, Board Member;Marcus Klüssendorf, Managing Director (all, Frankfurt Foundation for Children with Cancer)
We are delighted with the generous donation of 10,000 euros from our long-standing supporter, Frankfurter Sparkasse.
This contribution helps us to get one step closer to our goal – no more children should die of cancer. Especially in challenging times like these, it is clear how important reliable partnerships are.
A big thank you to Frankfurter Sparkasse for its trust in our research work – and for this strong sign of social responsibility.
Photo (from left): Dr Ingo Wiedemeier (Chairman of the Management Board of Frankfurter Sparkasse) and Uwe Menger (Board Member of Frankfurter Stiftung für krebskranke Kinder)
Art and STEM education – these are the two pillars of the educational initiative that our foundation supports in cooperation with schools, teachers and artists. One part of the project was the work with schoolchildren for the exhibition “Science meets Art: Powerhouse Cell” on World Childhood Cancer Day in Frankfurt’s Römer. And it continues with an educational concept on the subject of the cell, which is being realised with Frankfurt schools.
The topic of education is close to our hearts, because education, like health, is the future for children. We want to awaken little explorers’ hearts and educate them about the taboo subject of cancer in order to reduce fears and reservations through knowledge.
Merck found this worthy of support and sponsored €5,000. We are very pleased that Mr Thomas Eberle from MERCK KGaA visited us in person recently, so we were able to express our thanks in person. On this occasion, we also showed him our research laboratories and gave him a glimpse behind the scenes of our foundation. Merck KGaA and the foundation have this in common: a heart for research and for education.
Photo (from left): Dr Daniela Golz, Thomas Eberle, Marcus Klüssendorf, Thekla Kulik
Dr Meike Vogler is a research group leader at our Institute for Experimental Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (EPHO) and a passionate scientist – and mother.
Women in research still have a hard time – balancing work and family life is a major challenge given the time commitment. We are proud to support strong women in science and see it as our task to offer women a platform to drive innovation and progress.
Read what Dr Meike Vogler has to say about her everyday life as a scientist and mother: “Research is never just a profession, but always a vocation and a matter close to my heart. Even if it’s a long way from lab work to patient, I know that our work gives families with children with cancer a perspective – and that’s exactly what motivates me and my team every day. But of course it is a challenge to combine time-consuming research with family life, and this would not be possible without a supportive network. As a society, we need more appreciation for working mothers and, especially in science, flexible working time models and long-term prospects so that young people can be shown how a career in science can be equally fulfilling with a family.”
From 15 to 17 February 2025, the exhibition “Cell as a Power Plant” opened its doors in the Schwanenhallen of Frankfurt’s Römer and inspired numerous visitors. This project originated from an idea and concept by Adriane Westerbarkey and Thekla Kulik. The Frankfurt Foundation for Children with Cancer was very happy to provide support. It was an extraordinary show that combined art and science in a creative way. (This link will take you to the students’ video)
Education meets creativity – a complete success
As part of an interdisciplinary educational project, pupils were given the opportunity to take an in-depth look at the fascinating world of cells. Gymnasium Süd, IGS Süd, Römerschule and Kinderkunstschule Bad Homburg were all involved. Art, education and science came together to create a unique project: under the guidance of artists and art teachers such as Julius Bockelt (Atelier Goldstein), Adriane Westerbarkey and Elena Osman as well as biology teacher Ilka Treber and in collaboration with researchers from the Dr Petra Joh Research Centre of the Frankfurt Foundation for Children with Cancer, impressive works of art were created that amazed the audience.
Another highlight: the walk-in cell
Another highlight of the exhibition was a walk-in cell that gave visitors a unique perspective on the structure and function of cells. This interactive experience brought science to life and vividly conveyed the importance of cells for our lives.
A strong signal for paediatric cancer research
The project was much more than an art and science initiative. It was also intended to sensitise children to the topic of cancer, which is often associated with taboos and fears. The scientists from our company answered all the children’s questions clearly – and there were many of them. The interdisciplinary work made the topic creatively tangible for the pupils, it showed how hope is created through research and they were able to show their solidarity and support for the children affected.
Thanks to everyone involved!
We would like to thank all contributors, partners and visitors who made this project an unforgettable event. Your commitment and support are crucial to further advancing paediatric cancer research.
Stay informed and support our mission – for a future without childhood cancer!
Photo: martinjoppen.de; Karin Berneburg Photography and Frankfurt Foundation for Children with Cancer
Video: “Cell as a power station” by the pupils of Gymnasium Süd and the teachers Adriane Westerbarkey and Elena Osmann; Music: Dietmar Wieser
Contact
Frankfurt Foundation for children with cancer Komturstraße 3a 60528 Frankfurt
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