The “Zeitinsel” pediatric palliative care unit at Klinikum Leverkusen is only the third of its kind in Germany. Since it opened at the end of 2024, it has been supporting critically ill children, teens and their families through one of the hardest stages of life, with medical expertise, but above all with time, closeness and a whole lot of heart. Its name, which means “island of time”, says it all: a safe place where time slows down and there’s room for what really matters. Dignity, a sense of security and moments together. The unit’s goal is to improve the young patients’ quality of life, ease their pain and take as much weight off their families as possible during this difficult time, so they don’t have to walk this path alone.

Leverkusen has always been a special home for me, which makes creating something lasting there mean even more. With our funding, we’re making a new therapy room possible for critically ill children and their siblings. On top of that, we’re funding animal-assisted therapy and will support more projects in the years ahead.