Wir überwinden Grenzen

The "Kinderherzen retten" association receives 300,000 euros through "Racing for Charity" / Life-saving operations at Freiburg University Medical Center / Handover at the 24-hour race in Le Mans

For the third time in a row, Porsche AG is supporting the Freiburg-based association "Kinderherzen retten" with a donation - this year amounting to 300,000 euros. The donation was symbolically handed over as part of the "Racing for Charity" campaign at the 24-hour race in Le Mans, France. The charity uses the proceeds to enable vital heart operations for children from countries with limited medical care.

"The fact that Porsche is supporting our commitment for the third time in a row is extraordinary. And even more important: it saves lives," says Prof. em. Dr. Friedhelm Beyersdorf, former Medical Director of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at the University Medical Center Freiburg and co-founder of the association. "Thanks to this renewed funding, we can enable more children to receive highly specialized heart surgery treatment at the University Medical Center Freiburg - for many, this is the only chance of survival."

Save Children's Hearts e.V.

Kinderherzen retten e. V. was founded in 2002 under the direction of Beyersdorf and is closely linked to the University Medical Center Freiburg. The association specializes in the treatment of children with congenital heart defects, which is often not possible in the children's home countries. At the University Medical Center Freiburg, however, such operations are routine and are performed by specially trained paediatric cardiac surgeons under the direction of Prof. h.c. Dr. Johannes Kroll, Head of the Pediatric Heart Surgery Section of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at the University Medical Center Freiburg, and pediatric cardiologists under the direction of Prof. Dr. Brigitte Stiller, Medical Director of the Department of Congenital Heart Defects and Pediatric Cardiology at the University Medical Center Freiburg.

In addition to selecting and treating the young patients, Kinderherzen retten also organizes the entire transport and stay in Freiburg. The association relies on support from donations in all areas. To date, the association has already helped 280 children with heart disease to a healthy life, for example from Central America and other countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and Iraq.

Picture: (from left to right) Prof. em. Dr. Friedhelm Beyersdorf is delighted with Dr. Michael Steiner (Porsche) and Prof. Dolderer from the Interplast Germany project, which also receives funding.

Image source: Porsche AG