07.04.2020
In these times, solidarity within society is more important than ever. Foundations are assuming responsibility for virtually all areas of society. And their efforts have become even more important during the coronavirus crisis – in all disciplines.
The Wilo-Foundation has pledged a large donation of 30,000 euros for coronavirus research to Stiftung Universitätsmedizin Essen (Essen University Medicine Foundation). The funds will be used for a coronavirus research project at the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen. As part of the project, the German-Chinese research centre in Wuhan (China), which has been in operation for many years and is currently focusing all its efforts on coronavirus research, will receive funding. In addition, financial support will be provided for patient care services. To name one example: As all hospital visits have been banned, patients are now given additional smartphones so as to prevent social isolation and make it easier for them to stay in touch with their families. Other urgent needs are currently being identified.
The Wilo-Foundation is the first foundation to have joined the coronavirus donation initiative. Oliver Hermes, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Wilo-Foundation and President and CEO of the Wilo Group, explains why the Foundation has made this large donation: “Wilo, headquartered in Dortmund, is a major global player with around 8,000 employees worldwide and 800 staff in China, including in Wuhan. The joint German-Chinese research initiative of Essen and Wuhan, supported by Stiftung Universitätsmedizin Essen,illustrates that close ties with the region and cross-bordercooperation go well together – and is a combination that we valuegreatly. Moreover, the Wilo-Foundation actively promotes scientificprojects. That is why it matters so much to us at this point in time totake responsibility, demonstrate solidarity and promote essentialcoronavirus research.”
Professor Karl-Heinz Jöckel, Chairman of StiftungUniversitätsmedizin Essen, expresses his gratitude: “Thecontribution of the Wilo-Foundation helps us provide emergencyassistance. And providing quick assistance for the people affected isexactly what we need now. Our ‘donations for coronavirus’ initiativemakes this possible. We therefore call on other foundations – bothregional and supra-regional – to act now and support the initiative,too. Thank you very much.”
Evi Hoch, Executive Board member of the Wilo-Foundation and amember of the steering committee of the Ruhr Foundation Network,shares some background information: “Multipliers such as the RuhrFoundation Network are a great help at the moment as they quicklyspread information on useful initiatives launched by its members. Inthis way, we immediately got the information about the importantcall for donations for coronavirus research launched by StiftungUniversitätsmedizin Essen.“
For more information, visit: www.spenden-für-corona.de
About the Wilo-Foundation
The Wilo-Foundation is a family-based foundation headquartered inDortmund. Since 2011, it has been the majority shareholder of WILO SE, acompany with international operations that manufactures pumps andpump systems. It is an active supporter of regional initiatives and alsoprovides funding worldwide for projects in the areas of science, education& social affairs, culture and sports.
About Stiftung Universitätsmedizin Essen (Essen University MedicineFoundation)
Working together to promote health: this is the guiding principle ofStiftung Universitätsmedizin Essen. The foundation implements importantpromotional projects and delivers groundbreaking ideas in the field ofuniversity medicine in order to promote innovative research and teachingand ensure that patient care goes beyond basic medical care.
About the Medical Faculty
World-class science and research, and outstanding, excellent training offuture physicians: these are the objectives that the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Duisburg-Essen at Essen University Hospital has set for itself and that it works hard to achieve. A key factor for the Faculty’s clinical excellence is its focus on research in the core disciplines of oncology, transplants and cardiovascular medicines and in generic disciplines of immunology, infectious disease management and translational neuro- and behavioural sciences. The new Teaching and Learning Centre, inaugurated in 2014, provides an excellent learning environment for the students of the Medical Faculty.
About Universitätsmedizin Essen (Essen University Medicine)
Essen University Medicine consists of Essen University Hospital and twelve subsidiaries, including the Ruhrlandklinik, St. Josef Hospital Essen-Werden, the Heart Centre Essen-Huttrop, and the West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen. With some 1,700 beds, Essen University Medicine is the leading healthcare centre of excellence in the Ruhr region and on its way to becoming a Smart Hospital. In 2019, its 8,500 staff treated 72,000 inpatients and 300,000 outpatients. It specialises in cardiovascular medicine, oncology, and transplants. With its West German Cancer Centre, one of the largest tumour centres in Germany, the West German Centre for Organ Transplantation, a leading international centre for transplantation where specialists perform transplants of all vital organs (liver, kidney, pancreas, heart and lungs), and the West German Heart and Vascular Centre, a supra-regional centre for maximum cardiovascular care, the importance for patient care of Essen University Medicine extends far beyond its own region. The key factor for excellence in clinical performance is the research performed at the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen, with its clear focus on oncology, transplantation, cardiovascular medicine, and in the umbrella fields of immunology, infectiology, and translational neuro- and behavioural sciences.