LIVE AND LAUGH - DIE AND GRIEVE

• From the moment of diagnosis, a "temporary home away from home" for children and young people with the disease and their parents and siblings.
• 24-hour care for sick children and young adults relieves the burden on the entire family and provides freedom for happy moments together 24-hour care for sick children and young people relieves the entire family and provides freedom for happy moments tog
• Support for the sick children and young adults through pedagogical, therapeutic and creative offers
• Specially trained grief counsellors support the whole family on their difficult journey from diagnosis to beyond death

The Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice is Germany's first children's hospice. Since 1998, families with a terminally and life-shortened child have been accompanied here. The difficult journey from the diagnosis of a terminal illness to death can be overcome together in an atmosphere of trust and care. From experienced nurses and children's nurses to children's grief counsellors and therapists to clinic clowns, everyone at the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice helps to make the time for the sick child, its siblings and parents as good and meaningful as possible - with joy, a zest for life and many beautiful moments.

The families are often accompanied over a long period of time - from diagnosis to death. At the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice, they find a temporary home away from home, where reading aloud, cuddling, music therapy and therapy dogs make everyday life colourful and cheerful. The focus is always on the sick child, whose remaining resources are professionally supported. In contrast to adult hospices, the whole family is accompanied in the Balthasar Children's and Youth Hospice. Parents, siblings and even grandparents are guests together with the sick child. Specially trained family and grief counsellors provide valuable help to the families. They are there for the young and old guests, especially during the difficult times of saying goodbye. Many conversations and also the exchange between the parents help to cope with the grief.

Only the help and support of many people makes it possible to finance the work at the Balthasar Children's and Young People's Hospice - because the contribution from the nursing care insurance funds is still far from covering the costs. About 50% of the costs incurred have to be financed through donations.