Donor Stories

Our supporter Paulina Myszkowski called for donations for ovarian cancer research during her completed four marathons, including the New York City Marathon in November.

Under the motto "#Running4OvarianCancerResearch", her fundraising campaign raised a total of EUR 2,606 for the DKFZ. Thank you very much for your great commitment and for visiting the DKFZ on its Open Day!

About four years ago, Paulina's mother died of ovarian cancer after a long illness, which was a very big loss for the young daughter. But Paulina wanted to "continuously educate people about ovarian cancer and research at the DKFZ" and contribute to "ensuring that nobody has to lose their mother, sister, wife or friend to ovarian cancer in the future," says Paulina.

In achieving her sporting goals and during the runs in memory of her mother, Paulina received support from friends, fellow runners, those affected and their relatives - we would like to thank everyone involved.

Terry Fox lost his right leg due to cancer. In 1980, despite this impairment, he ran a total of 5,373 km from the East to the West coast of Canada in 143 days. Then the cancer returned and Terry died. His efforts motivated many people to donate to cancer research.

Every September, charity runs are held in memory of Terry Fox in Canada and around the world - this year the first Terry Fox Run in Heidelberg was initiated. It was organized by Lars Hallbauer and Fiona Bernhardt. Anyone could take part, around 90 participants were on site on 15th September, and a total of EUR 2,245 was donated to cancer research at the DKFZ.

Thank you very much for your support and commitment! There will be another Terry Fox Run in Heidelberg next year. 

Modschiedler GmbH, a family-run company with a long tradition in transport and warehouse logistics based in Bobenheim-Roxheim, is supporting the DKFZ with EUR 2,000. This year, instead of giving Christmas presents to customers, the company decided to raise awareness of cancer and research. Thank you very much!

Most team members have someone in their circle of relatives and friends who has cancer or has even died from cancer. The awareness that cancer can affect anyone has motivated the team to support further research.

With the donation, they want to give hope to people diagnosed with cancer, as well as their families and friends. As a company, they know how important the idea of progress can be. Therefore the employees hope that their donation will also enable them to further promote research progress, e.g. in the form of a wide range of treatment options and individual therapies.

The young company Gadgetlend, which offers the rental of tech products via an e-commerce platform for greater sustainability, has decided to support the DKFZ's cancer research with regular donations. They started this year with a donation of EUR 200.

The two founders, Volker Deppe and Ankur Belbase, want to help ensure that even advanced cancers can be treated more effectively in future and that improved early detection methods can be developed. In their role as entrepreneurs, they also want to draw attention to the fact that cancer can affect everyone and that cancer prevention can protect.

We would like to thank Gadgetlend for their support and their great interest in our research work.

Since 2014, Brother International GmbH, based in Bad Vilbel and Vienna, has been taking part in the "Golden Ring" charity project that it initiated itself. Branches worldwide join together to form a symbolic ring to collect donations at an annual employee run and set an example against cancer.

After 10 years, the event, which is popular with employees and also involves their families, has become a major sporting event and social get-together. This year, 191 runners laced up their running shoes and ran a total of 600 kilometers for a good cause.

We are delighted to be among the four organizations supported in their work this year - a total of EUR 2,000 went to the DKFZ as part of the charity run. A big thank you to all participants!

In June, our supporter Henning Lindemann took on a challenge, not only physical, but also personal: He cycled over 2,500 kilometers from Heidelberg to Seville, his wife's hometown in southern Spain, to collect donations for cancer research. Unfortunately, many people experience cancer diagnoses in the family, including Henning, who lost his father due to cancer. That's why he wanted to help other people who are confronted with cancer themselves or as relatives. Many supporters stood by Henning's side, followed his bike journey for about 3 weeks and donated to the DKFZ.

Throughout the day, Henning rode his bike, the nights he spent in one-man tents or in small accommodations. He crossed France and Spain, passed through Lyon, Avignon, Girona, Barcelona, Valencia and many other cities. Everything was given on the trip, coasts and sea, old friends, animal companions, tunnels, bike repairs and delicious meals for in between. This fundraising campaign has the potential to be copied!

In total, Henning's fundraising campaign has raised a total amount of over EUR 3,277. Many thanks to all donors and of course to Henning for his great and challenging commitment to cancer research!

A strong and fun-loving woman who has fought against cancer: Carol had terminal lung cancer. But that didn't stop the US-born American from collecting donations for cancer research. Together with her husband, she organized a charity golf tournament that took place on Jun 8th at the "Schloss Maxlrain Golf Club" near Bad Aibling.

Almost EUR 15,000 were collected for cancer research on her initiative and were donated to the DKFZ. Carol's goal: to give hope to other sufferers, to sensitize people to the topic of cancer and to call for cancer prevention.

"I want to make sure that enough money is raised for cancer research," said the 55-year-old, "the extra time that was given to me by the drugs was an absolute gift." Carol's wish was to leave a legacy in the form of the golf tournament - it should be continued in her spirit in the coming years.

We would like to thank Carol, her family and friends as well as the golf club very much for their great commitment and donation!

In April, our supporter Michaela Thulke ran the Haspa Hamburg Marathon, with a specific goal: every minute faster than her previous best time means EUR 10 for the DKFZ.

In 2018, she ran the marathon in Hamburg for the first time and already had commitments for the following year and a marathon in Berlin. But then Michaela was diagnosed with breast cancer and was no longer able to pursue her passion for running as she had originally planned. Even 10-minute walks pushed Michaela to her limits. In addition to family and friends, the experts from "Krebsinformationsdienst" also gave her support during this time. The enthusiastic runner vowed to return to the marathon in Hamburg: Today, five years later, Michaela has beaten cancer and even managed her new personal best time of 4:20:16 - Congratulations!

Through Michaela's initiative, a total sum of EUR 568 has been donated. In the fall she wants to start again for cancer research and run a new best time. We would like to thank her very much for her support and sporting commitment!

Partying and doing good can be combined: Under the motto "let's dance together for a good cause", DJane NIKOLINA realized her heart project on 06th April. Together with the Gotec Club in Karlsruhe, she organized a charity rave for the DKFZ. She and all the other artists waived their fees, as did the entire service staff and all ticket proceeds were also donated to support cancer research in the best possible way.

NIKOLINA herself lost her mother to cancer at the age of 16. It is therefore important for her to remove the taboo surrounding cancer and raise awareness of cancer. This motivated her to start her personal fundraising campaign in form of a charity rave and to offer all those celebrating an unforgettable evening.

We would like to thank NIKOLINA for her incredible commitment and heart, the Gotec Club and everyone involved for making a total donation of EUR 7,416.27 possible. Thank you very much for your lasting support!

Students from the "Staatliche Berufsschule im Berufsbildungswerk Südhessen (BBW)" and their teacher Magdalena Wiesemann launched the "Cakes against Cancer" fundraising campaign for DKFZ. The aim of the campaign was to sell homemade cakes and cookies for cancer research. The class designed advertising flyers and planned the stall and the range of cakes.

The class donated a total of EUR 375.18 to the DKFZ - Thank you very much for your commitment!

All students in the class were able to ask the fundraising team of DKFZ questions about donations and how they are used during a video conference. We would like to thank them for the successful exchange and their support.

Our donor Dany Provost is an engineer and has been passionate about working in the space industry since 1985. Since 2002 he has been employed at the European Organization for Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) in Darmstadt. Despite his enthusiasm for his job, state-of-the-art technology and international contacts, in January of this year it was time for the next phase of his life, his retirement. On the occasion of his farewell party in the company with many colleagues, Dany Provost called for donations in favour of the DKFZ.

Dany Provost lost close family members to cancer. Because of these painful experiences, it was important to him to join forces to support cancer research. He is very grateful to his colleagues:

"Thank you so much for your kind contribution to my leaving present! As you know, I support the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and your contribution goes entirely to the research center. All together we managed to collect 530 EUR. Good luck to all of you and see you around at one of the EUMETSAT yearly social events!"

Many thanks to Dany Provost for his commitment and a big thank you to everyone who donated.

We are grateful for every donation. Why? Because the initiators help to raise awareness of cancer, cancer research and cancer prevention through their fundraising campaigns. This is also demonstrated by the creative fundraising campaign "Crêpes gegen Krebs", launched by (Erasmus)students from TU Berlin and Berlin University of Arts: Ola Ur Sæbø, together with friends and other helpers, sold homemade crêpes and mulled wine for a good cause in their student residence.

They have always enjoyed using international Cancer Awareness Months such as "Movember" to be part of the awareness movement. This time they decided to make a donation to the DKFZ.

They were able to donate a total of 195 EUR to cancer research. We are delighted with this inventive fundraising campaign and would like to thank them for their support!

On Jan. 15th, Oliver Roland, Director of the Ike and Berthold Roland Foundation in Mannheim, presented the "Dr. Ike Roland-Preis" to the DKFZ. The prize is endowed with 5,000 EUR and is intended to honor the DKFZ's exemplary scientific, medical and social commitment. "Research is what makes active help possible", says Oliver Roland. The DKFZ is grateful for the award and the generous support of its cancer research!

The foundation also sponsors artists and cultural institutions in Rhineland-Palatinate and supports the social commitment of institutions throughout Germany with sponsorship awards. The founders Dr. Ike Roland and Bertold Roland were themselves affected by cancer, which is why it's a personal matter for their son Oliver Roland to support cancer research: "It is thanks to your work that we know much more about it [cancer] and are able to assess it and treat it."

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the DKFZ: Andreas Hambsch, founder and director of the Bagpipe School, played the Christmas song "Jingle Bells" on his Scottish bagpipe in front of the DKFZ Christmas tree. A video can be found on Instagram. It was an extraordinary experience!

Every year, the Bagpipe School donates a part of its income from online workshops, the sale of textbooks and the bagpipe learning app to social projects. This year, the donation of 1,000 EUR went to the DKFZ and was handed over personally by Andreas Hambsch to Prof. Dr. Josef Puchta, Director Office of Development (DKFZ).

The Bagpipe School would like to support cancer research with its donation and make a contribution to better treatment options for cancer.

Many thanks to everyone involved for this generous donation and many thanks to Andreas Hambsch for his musical and friendly visit.

The 8th edition of the Nicola Werner Challenge in September was more than successful: 800 cyclists started in 6 countries and 16 cities, such as London, Paris, La Réunion and Berlin, to set an example against HPV-related cancer and for HPV vaccinations for girls and boys.

The amount of donations was also topped once again - this year, 18,000 EUR went to the DKFZ for the benefit of the research group of Prof. Dr. Dirk Jäger for further research into HPV-related cancer. The other part of the donation went to the Gustave Roussy Cancer Institute in Paris.

An NWC cycling team in Heidelberg also started in front of the DKFZ in September to set an example against HPV-related cancer. Many thanks to Moritz Werner, all participants and donors who made this great donation result possible. We are already looking forward to the 9th edition of the NWC on Sep 14th in the coming year 2024.

Find out more about the Nicola Werner Challenge here and take part next year!

CeramTec once again supported the DKFZ with a donation of 2,000 EUR this year. The occasion was "Pinktober" the Breast Cancer Awareness Month: the company wants to use this day of action to draw attention to breast cancer and remind people that early detection can save lives.

In addition to pink ribbons, pink sunglasses, pelicans and information on breast cancer prevention, activities for the team, such as a hula hoop event and a photo box, ensured a successful #pinktober day.

Many thanks to CeramTec for the annual support of our cancer research and for the commitment of all employees worldwide against cancer!

In this video (German-speaking), CEO Dr. Hadi Saleh explains why it is so important for CeramTec to support cancer research.

Challenging one's own body and running a marathon once in a lifetime – that was a bucket list item and a shared dream of Sophie Laas and her mother. Back in 2020, Sophie's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, in 2022 the cancer returned and Sophie's mother passed away. In memory of her mother, she started training and made it across the finish line at the Berlin Marathon on April 2nd.

We congratulate her on her great achievement, her courage and commitment! Sophie has experienced how difficult it can be as a relative of sufferers. It is important for her to give hope to families and friends of those affected by cancer.

As part of her marathon, Sophie collected about 1,900 EUR for cancer research at DKFZ. Also because of her support, we are able to achieve further success in our cancer research and to realize even more research projects – for a life without cancer.

Herrmann GmbH from Plüderhausen in Germany supports the DKFZ's Krebsinformationsdienst (KID) with a donation of 500 EUR. The company would like to support the services offered by the KID, which provides up-to-date and reliable information and helps in coping with cancer, especially for those affected and their relatives.

Founded in 1979, the company is a provider in the field of building technology and automation and now employs more than 80 people. Two of its employees are themselves affected by cancer, so it was a special interest for the company to thank the KID for its work in form of a donation and to draw attention to the importance of quality-assured information.

We would like to express our sincere thanks for the support and are pleased about the KID's appreciation.

Find inner peace and serenity and do something good at the same time. On May 18, 2023, Stefanie Albrecht, also the protagonist of one of our donor portraits about initiated fundraising campaigns, again organized a yoga fundraising class for all interested parties in Berlin: This time in a hybrid format, some participants joined in on site in the studio, others from home. After the yoga class, everyone was able to share their experiences with cancer and talk about many other topics.

A total of 692 EUR was collected during her organized donation class under the motto "Together against cancer", Stefanie donated this amount to the DKFZ. We say thank you very much to Stefanie, for the great effort and this beautiful fundraising idea of a yoga fundraising class. It's great to know you are by our side in the fight against cancer. Also, many thanks to all the donors and everyone else involved who made the event possible.

On 03.03.23, the DKFZ fundraising team was guest of the Adler Mannheim ice hockey team at the SAP Arena in Mannheim. At the DKFZ information desk, fans were able to learn about cancer research. The aim of the campaign was to draw attention to the importance of cancer research in the region and worldwide.

There was also a raffle, supported by Adler Mannheim, to win a jersey of current top scorer Matthias Plachta with the signatures of the entire team. Congratulations to the winner Tommy (see photo) and also to the Adler Mannheim for the winning on that evening!

Many thanks to the team of the SAP Arena for the successful cooperation, the Adler Mannheim for the friendly support during the raffle, to all participants of the raffle and to all ice hockey fans who donated in favor of cancer research.

In January, after three years, there was fortunately a second edition of the charity match between the handball players of the SG Neuenhaus/Uelsen and the soccer players of the SV Olympia Uelsen in the sports hall in Uelsen. Despite a draw at the end, it was a charity match with many goals, lots of fun for all involved with the common aim: to make a difference in the fight against cancer and to support cancer research.

During the break in the game, an auction was organized, with the proceeds over a total of 6.800 EUR going to DKFZ.

We would like to thank the organizing team, especially Alexandra Wolterink for the pleasant communication, all the helpers, all the players and of course all the donors for the great amount of money that was raised and will now be donated to cancer research. Thank you for such a great sports event and the commitment!

Like many people, the young team at FIRMENLADEN GmbH has been confronted with cases of cancer among their acquaintances and relatives. Therefore, it was a matter of personal importance for them to support cancer research at the DKFZ with a company donation of 350 EUR.

The company, which offers sustainable energy and charging solutions for customers, has followed its motto "Making the world a little better" from the very beginning. Thus, the managing director of FIRMENLADEN GmbH, Mirko Frank, has also personally supported cancer research at the DKFZ since 2019 with regular donations - thank you for your commitment!

We would like to express our sincere thanks to all employees of FIRMENLADEN GmbH for their support in the fight against cancer and wish them continued (sustainable) success.

Merry Christmas to all of us! Christmas is just around the corner and this year we are once again pleased to receive Christmas donations from companies.

SYSTHEMIS AG, a Würzburg-based company specializing in software development and process management, is also passionate about supporting cancer research at the DKFZ. The decision to donate to the DKFZ was an easy one for the company's employees, as some of them have already experienced the suffering that cancer can cause for those affected and their families. Therefore, SYSTHEMIS AG would like to underline its values of family and health and draw attention to cancer prevention and cancer in its various forms.

We offer our heartfelt thanks to SYSTHEMIS AG for the donation of 300 EUR and the appreciation of the research work at the DKFZ! The support in the form of company donation initiatives helps us to continue pursuing a common goal - a life without cancer.

FERNRIDE GmbH in Munich supported the DKFZ with a donation shortly before Christmas - many thanks for that!

In addition to financially supporting cancer research, the focus for the company is on raising awareness of cancer prevention options and sensitizing employees to the topic of cancer. For this reason, small events are organized within the company, such as in October, the International Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In keeping with the theme, employees were able to get involved creatively, dyeing and decorating pumpkins pink.

We would like to thank FERNRIDE GmbH for their support and wish them lots of fun with further creative activities to raise awareness of cancer prevention.

The Nicola Werner Challenge (NWC), an international bicycle race to benefit cancer research, took place again this year. In Paris, Seattle, Berlin and other cities on different continents, cyclists started on Sept. 11, 2022 on the occasion of the NWC to raise awareness for infectious and viral cancers and cancer prevention. It was also about taking on one's own athletic challenge and making a statement for those who have already died or fallen ill.

As a result of this year's NWC, a total of 14,000 EUR will go to the DKFZ. A research project of the team around Prof. Dr. Dirk Jäger, Managing Director of the NCT Heidelberg and Head of the Clinical Cooperation Unit "Applied Tumor-Immunity" at the DKFZ, for the investigation of HPV-positive neck and head tumors will be funded.

We would like to thank all participants and donors. Our thanks go to the initiator Moritz Werner for the successful and friendly cooperation and to the whole dedicated team behind the NWC and this special event. See you next year!

Raising cancer awareness together – under this motto and on the occasion of PINKTOBER 2022, CeramTec GmbH is once again supporting cancer research at the DKFZ this year.

Raising cancer awareness among employees is a matter close to CeramTec's heart. The company's health programs focus on cancer detection and prevention and offer information and regular screenings for cancer prevention.

A personal check presentation has proven to be a partnership tradition, so this year the donation check for 2,000 EUR was once again personally handed over by Dr. Hadi Saleh (CEO of the CeramTec Group) to Prof. Dr. Josef Puchta (Director Office of Development at DKFZ) at the company's site in Plochingen. We would like to express our sincere thanks to CeramTec and are very happy to have the company as a sustainable and loyal supporter at our side in order to get closer to our common goal – a life without cancer.

This year, students from the Integrated Comprehensive School Waldbröl took part in the "German Start-Up Prize for Students (DGPS)" competition. With their idea for efficient, fuel-saving, aerodynamic hubcaps, the fictious founding Team Aero-Sonic convinced the experts at Kreissparkasse Köln and achieved the 3rd place in regional ranking.

The priority for the young developers is social responsibility towards their fellow human beings, consequently they decided to donate part of the prize money to charitable organizations and so they choose DKFZ. The team donated a total of 180 EUR in favor of cancer research.

On the picture you can see the participants (from left to right): Tom Schneider, Nico Radke, Daniel Weidner, Philipp Benner together with their teacher Niels Bartknecht. We would like to sincerely thank Team Aero-Sonic for their donation and their commitment and congratulate them in their successful participation in DGPS 2022.

On August 28, David Milligan and his colleagues Chris, Peter, Jonas, Edgar and Marco, current and former members of the ESA Gaia Mission Control Team, set off on their great adventure. They walked the 160 km West Highland Highway in Scotland in memory and tribute to their colleague and good friend Gary Whitehead, who passed away from cancer.

The group's goal is to encourage others affected by cancer to take up the fight against cancer. They want to help them by appealing for financial support that will make further progress in cancer research possible. Thanks to their appeal, donations in the amount of 2,140 € have been received in favor of cancer research at DKFZ!

We offer our heartfelt thanks to David Milligan and his colleagues for their commitment. We would also like to thank all donors who supported cancer research through their donations during the "Whitehead Walk".

At an anniversary celebration of the "KulturKeller Höchst" and the stall of Petra and Gerhard Klumpp in the Höchst market hall, donations were called in favor of the "STARK gegen Krebs e.V.". Dr. Bernd Schmude, a physician and cancer survivor himself, founded the registered association STARK gegen KREBS e.V., based in Frankfurt am Main, in 2013. Since then, he has been on the road throughout Germany, giving motivational talks – always with the aim of encouraging people diagnosed with cancer.

The event, which included a raffle and music, as well as a contribution by STARK gegen KREBS e.V., made it possible to make a donation of 3,000 EUR to the DKFZ, which will be used to support brain tumor research, as requested by the event organizers.

We would like to thank all donors, Petra and Gerhard Klumpp and STARK gegen KREBS e.V. for their generous support of our work.

The Fjällräven Classic Route takes place in Sweden and seven other countries, offering a unique experience to anyone with an open mind for nature, adventure and trekking. Stephen Arrowsmith and his team took this event as an opportunity to support cancer research and started their own fundraising campaign for DKFZ.

They hiked a total of 110 km from Nikkaluokta to Abisko on the trail of the King's Trail through wild landscapes, and climbed Sweden's highest mountain, Kebnekaise. Thanks to their call for donations from friends and colleagues, a total of 2,610 Euro was donated to DKFZ for cancer research.

We would like to express our thanks to all participants for their initiative and commitment to cancer research, as well as to everyone who supported the cause of the trek by making a donation.

The academy of Julius Zorn GmbH in Aichach donates the participation fees for its chest and thoracic seminars to DKFZ. With a total of 1,755 €, it supports research on breast cancer. Juzo develops medical aids that accompany patients in their therapy and improve their life quality. These include, for example, compression clothing for breast cancer patients.

We would like to thank the Juzo Academy and all participants for their support of our cancer research!

firstwaters once again donates to the DKFZ - this year in the course of the Christmas campaign "Charity Choice". In the "Charity Choice" campaign, employees, customers and business partners of firstwaters were able to choose which charitable organizations should benefit from the Christmas donations made by firstwaters. About one third voted for the DKFZ. We are happy about a donation in the amount of 2,900 EUR!

We had the pleasure of welcoming Patrick Arenz personally to Heidelberg to hand over the donation cheque.

We would like to thank firstwaters and all participants of the Christmas campaign "Charity Choice" for their great support of our cancer research.

For the sixth time, CeramTec GmbH made a donation to benefit DKFZ. "As a practicing physician, I used to help people directly and immediately. We continue this idea at CeramTec and regularly support projects and organizations through donations as part of our corporate social responsibility," reports Dr. Hadi Saleh, CEO of the CeramTec Group.
The personal check presentation took place on the occasion of PINKTOBER 2021 and as part of the German Congress for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery.
We are very happy about the loyal and sustainable support and thank CeramTec very much for the generous donations in favor of cancer research at DKFZ!

The young woman from Stuttgart is employed as a team leader at the company DIS AG. She won an internal company competition and donated part of the prize money - 2,500 Euro - to DKFZ.
Kirsten Gerlach has been involved in cancer research also in the past. When her mother died of cancer a few years ago, her father and she called for donations to DKFZ in lieu of flowers and wreaths at the funeral.
Kirsten Gerlach came personally to DKFZ to present her donation.
We are very happy about the extraordinary commitment and thank her very much for the generous donation in favor of cancer research at DKFZ!

Christiane Bartke died in May 2021. About ten years earlier, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was her wish that treatment options for cancer be improved, to be able to prevent cancer diseases for future generations. With this thought in mind, Christiane Bartke time and again made donations during her lifetime. While frequently contacting the Cancer Information Service at DKFZ, she always felt that she was well advised and in good hands.
Taking this to heart, her family collected money from letters of condolence they received. Green Sparrow, the company where she was last actively engaged, increased the amount to the symbolic sum of 1,959 Euro, that being Christiane Bartke's year of birth.
We offer our heartfelt thanks to the Bartke family and to Green Sparrow for their helpful support of our cancer research.

The goal of the Nicola Werner challenge (NWC) is to increase the awareness of cancer disease and attract donations for cancer research. Despite the extreme circumstances, the fifth staging of the charity bicycle race was a complete success: More than 300 participants took to their bikes – in Paris, Berlin, Bochum, Seattle as well as many other cities in support of a good cause. Donations totaling 7,000 EUR were raised for DKFZ to benefit the project #Chatfunding of the Cancer Information Service. "It is important to remember that there are other illnesses besides Corona", said Moritz Werner, founder of NWC.
We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to all of the participants as well as the organizers for their extraordinary support!

On May 10, her birthday, Ina Bernhard planned to participate in the Gutenberg Marathon in Mainz. The coronavirus however, put an end to that plan. The running event was canceled and she could not celebrate her birthday as she normally would. In past years she has lost friends and relatives to cancer and recently two of her friends have come down with the disease. That gave her the idea: She invited all of her friends that otherwise would have been her birthday guests, to run, hike, or take to their bicycles. For every kilometer completed, 50 cents would be donated for cancer research. In the course of the day amazing pictures and experiences came together – along with 3,000 EUR for DKFZ.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Ina Bernhard and everyone that joined her, for their extraordinary contribution in support of cancer research!

We are very happy to have received the first donation from Geschenkya. Since April, the online shop has featured their "Kampf-gegen-Krebs-Kollektion". The entire collection including t-shirts and hoodies reflect the subject of cancer. Meral Cetin, the owner of the shop, would like inspire and offer courage to those affected – and do some good as well: 15 percent of the profit from the Kampf-gegen-Krebs-Kollektion will go as a donation to DKFZ. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Geschenkya for their commitment in support of cancer research and her donation to DKFZ!

The show dance group Diwo of the dance department at SC Blau-Weiß Ostenland achieved the large donation result of 2.780 EUR for cancer research. Diwo is a group of 35 young dancers between the ages of 13 and 21. Every year they participate in numerous tournaments and events. They are supported by their trainers and parents with costumes and props for their performances. In May of 2018 the mother of one of the young dancers became ill with cancer and died within just a few weeks. This caused great distress within the closely related group. “To make a difference together, instead of standing by and watching inactively, was a heartfelt wish of all of us. A fundraising campaign seemed like just the right thing to do". said Karin Antony, 1. Chairperson of the dance department. So all performances in 2019 were devoted to the motto "Dance against cancer". Their show "Excalibur" was performed eleven times at nine different locations. The audience was asked to give a donation at every event. In addition, the group also donated their performance expenditure allowances. We are very pleased by their commitment and offer our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved – particularly the young dancers for their dedication!

The SG Neuenhaus/Uelsen women's handball team against the SV Olympia Uelsen men’s football team – some 500 spectators attended this special game on Dec. 23, 2019. The two teams competed against each other for a good cause: the first half playing handball, the other half football. Creative outfits and very special rules assured fun from the beginning. The game ended in a tie 21 to 21. That evening a total of 6.491,92 EUR was raised to support cancer research. DKFZ offers our heartfelt thanks to all of the participants for this wonderful action! We are very pleased by the commitment of the Grafschaft Bentheim.
In the picture above you can see the participants of the benefit game, the Bundesliga jerseys that were auctioned off for a good cause (left), as well as the two organizers Alexandra Pauli (SG women's handball team) and Frank Mers (SV’s football trainer).

Morris died when he was 11 years old from ependymoma, a rare brain tumor-affecting children. One year after his death his parents organized together with his friends the first "Morris Beerman Football Tournament" in memory of the death of their son and friend. In the following year the idea was born that the tournament could support a good cause. At that time his friends decided on the "Emma Children's Hospital” in Amsterdam AMC – where Morris's cancer was treated. The fourth tournament took place on August 25, 2019. 85 children between the ages of 6 and 16 entered the ASV Stadium Arsenal in Amsterdam and played football together. They collected a total of 6,148 EUR! According to the wish of Morris’ friends this impressive sum was donated to the DKFZ for cancer research. The donation will go to Kristian Pajtler's research group. The Pediatric Oncologist from the Department of Pediatric Neurooncology of DKFZ has been engaged in research with ependymomas for the last five years. The goal is to improve the diagnosis of these tumors as well as finding more effective therapies, to be able to help children in the future who are suffering from ependymoma.
We would like to thank all those involved for their great support!

As is customary in Neckarsteinach, the confirmands donate a portion of their confirmation money. Each confirmee can make suggestions and at the end the group agrees where the money should go. The confirmands of Neckarsteinach decided upon DKFZ this year, along with one other project. "It was important for us to find an organization that is committed to fighting cancer locally", said the confirmands. It was up to each individual to decide how much money they wanted to donate. A considerable sum of 565 EUR was collected for DKFZ, which pleases us very much!
A small group of the confirmands along with Pastor Norbert Feick came to Heidelberg to hand over the donation. "For me as a pastor it's important, that the confirmands see what their donations can achieve", he said. "At DKFZ they can acquire information, gain an impression and raise questions".
We would like to thank the confirmands as well as Pastor Norbert Feick for their visit and for offering such wonderful support!

Steven Frind wants to set an example: With the slogan "Techno Against Cancer" he began to raise money for cancer research in 2018. He was suffering from cancer himself. “It was only at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg that I was first informed about the tumor that I had. Living my life was considerably easier after that."
Since then he has been committed to cancer research. "To me, research is the most important field in medicine", he says. Last year, he organized two music events as part of the project "River Pirates Open Air" in Berlin and collected donations in support of DKFZ. On their recent visit to Heidelberg, Steven Frind and Laura Grzymski presented a donation cheque of 200 EUR. We are very happy, that they came by personally to hand us the donation.

We are very happy about the dedication shown by five young people. They gathered donations for the German Cancer Research Center as part of their voluntary service at the Baden-Württemberg welfare organization FSJ. During their fundraising campaign they were able to collect some 400 euro for cancer research. Vanessa Maurer, Inass Rabbah, Justin Baumgartner, Nico Hermann and Selina Liss came personally to Heidelberg to present their donation. Our heartfelt thanks for your engagement!

Cedric and Mareile from Hamburg started the initiative FCKCNCR in 2016. Their aim was to promote an open exchange and dealing with the disease, to overcome preconceptions and anxiety and to encourage those affected. The two founders were suffering themselves from cancer. The hand made bracelets they sell over an online shop express their solidarity and support for people affected and also promote cancer research. “We made a conscious decision to support research, as it is directed toward the future,” says Cedric and Mareile adds: “DKFZ stands for fundamental research for all patients. It’s important to address the issue in a sustainable way, and research is absolutely essential to solve the actual problem.”
DKFZ would like to thank the two founders very much for the many years of support and the impressive donation sum, but also thank all the people that offered their contribution by ”threading” the bracelets. Last but not least we want to thank those that purchased a bracelet, thereby helping to further cancer research.
Read more about FCKCNCR in an interview with the two founders (in German).

The German Cancer Research Center would like to thank Barry Swanson for his extremely generous donation of the equivalent of 85,000 EUR. For the American living in Heidelberg it is a matter of great concern: Very close friends of his fell ill and died of cancer. Through his financial services company, he accompanied and supported numerous families who had got into economic difficulties because of a carcinogenic disease of the main breadwinner. Through his donation he would like to contribute to furthering cancer research.
Barry Swanson as president of the American German Business Club also convinced members of the club at a charity event to donate to DKFZ. Our warmest thanks to everyone who donated! Prof. Dr. Josef Puchta, Commercial Director at DKFZ welcomed Barry Swanson to DKFZ to thank him personally for his extremely generous support.
Read more about Barry Swanson's donation in the current edition of the magazine "einblick" (in German).

In memory of his late father, Thomas Kämmerling organized a charity dart tournament on October 3, 2018 in support of cancer research. A total of 55 people participated in the dart tournament at the «Denk Mal" in Mönchengladbach, many of them from far away: One dart team from Frankfurt drove 400 km to participate in the tournament. Numerous volunteers contributed their support for a good cause, for example organizing the tournament or selling lottery tickets for the raffle.
The event was a great success: We are very pleased with the generous donations totaling over 1,200 EUR. DKFZ would like to thank the initiator of the campaign for his efforts and commitment. Many thanks also to the numerous volunteers as well as to the participants and contributors for their dedication.

For the third time the BAUHAUS Fachcenter (expert center) in Heidelberg's Bahnstadt collected donations for cancer research. Apprentices from the Rhein-Neckar region built sofas out of ordinary pallets on their own initiative. Interested customers could watch the production of the furniture in front of the Bauhaus. The sofas were auctioned off afterwards. The money was donated to the German Cancer Research Center. Our warm thanks for the support from the BAUHAUS and the dedication of their apprentices!
Photo: Christian Blau (left), who supervised the apprentices during the fundraising campaign, along with Leon Bächle (right), one of the participating apprentices who came to DKFZ to present Josef Puchta (center) with the symbolic check.

Under this unusual slogan, donations for cancer research were collected in Weiterstadt and Braunshardt on Saturday, August 18, 2018. The reason was the illness of a young man from Weiterstadt: Philip, 27 years old, was diagnosed with blood cancer for the second time. The bakery "Best" and the butcher shops "Hamm", "Marienhof", "Rieß" (restaurant "Zur schönen Aussicht") and "Ernst Hamm" came together to offer their help. The five traditional businesses offered house made specialties beginning at a minimum donation price of 3.50 EUR. By purchasing a generous slice of "Riwwelkuche" (a sweet cake) or a strip of "Bräuschter Lewwerworscht" (a special sausage) one could support this good cause. Altogether the fundraising campaign provided 6,000 EUR for cancer research. The German Cancer Research Center offers its warm-hearted thanks to all of the people who donated as well as to the organizers for their extraordinary commitment.

In the photo viewed from left to right: The initiators Henriette Risch (Bakery Best), Michaela Hamm-Kahle (Butcher Shop Hamm), Ernst Hamm (Butcher Shop Hamm, Braunshardt), Christel Göckel (butcher and innkeeper of the restaurant "Zur schönen Aussicht") as well as the famous "Riwwelkuche" (a sweet cake).

For many years now, the Association for Children with Cancer Odenwald e.V. has been engaged in cancer research. At the end of June 2018 a charity golf tournament was held once again to gather donations in support of children's oncology. The "teeing off for a good cause" yielded an impressive result: The Association donated 10,000 EUR to the Department of Pediatric Oncology. It's director Prof. Olaf Witt, was on site to present a lecture on the latest research findings. The 1st and 2nd Chairpersons of the Association, Jacqueline Wörner and Volker Scheuermann, presented the donation. So far, the association has donated a total of 100,000 EUR for pediatric oncology. DKFZ extends its heartfelt thanks for such an impressive sum and for the ongoing support!

In memory of a deceased club member, the 1.PBC Bruchsal, together with the Billiard-Sports Park Bruchsal, staged the “1. Mladen Mesic Memorial Tournament“. Mladen Mesic was a long time member of the Billiard club and died of severe lung cancer in August 2016. In acknowledgement of his commitment to cancer prevention when he was alive, the club organized the charity tournament in support of cancer research. Part of the donation proceeds was given to Mladen and his family for the embellishment of his grave. The bulk of the proceeds, generated from registration fees as well as additional donations, the club donated to cancer research. With a generous additional contribution the sum was brought up to a round figure of 2,000 EUR and forwarded to the German Cancer Research Center.
We are very pleased by the club’s initiative and would like to thank all participants and donors for their support!

The Stuttgart artist Richild von Holtzbrinck donated a series of her oil paintings and drawings to the German Cancer Research Center. The oil paintings depict the artist before and after her breast cancer operations, capturing on canvas with brush and paint how her body was altered by the disease. Together with these self-studies, the artist donated to DKFZ drawings she created of fellow patients during her stay at the clinic. The sculpture in bronze "Amazone" by the French artist Frédérique Edy completed the installation. Richild von Holtzbrinck also generously presented this piece to DKFZ.

On February 28, 2018 DKFZ board members Prof. Michael Baumann and Prof. Josef Puchta, opened the exhibition "Metamorphosis" together with the artist and expressed their gratitude for this extraordinarily generous donation. The exhibition is now permanently installed at the German Cancer Research Center.

It's now two years since FCKCNCR has made its outstanding commitment to cancer research. With the sale of handmade bracelets the two founders hope to draw attention to cancer disease and to express solidarity for those affected. At the same time they help support cancer research, by donating the profits to the German Cancer Research Center. This initiative has developed enormously over the past two years. The total sum donated to DKFZ now amounts to 20,000 euro! We want to offer our warm-hearted thanks to both founders for this unique action. We are also very pleased that so many people have supported them in their promotion of cancer research by purchasing bracelets.

You can learn more about the history of FCKCNCR in the current issue of “einblick” – there you will find an interview with the two initiators of the fundraising campaign.

Because he has been diagnosed with cancer, Steven Frind can no longer adequately practice his profession as a nurse. With the founding of his own music publishing house, the techno DJ has fulfilled a dream and at the same time supports cancer research. At his first techno event in Berlin he collected donations for DKFZ. We are very happy about the donation campaign and would like to thank Steven Frind and all of those who contributed.

The photo shows Steven Frind and his fiancée Laura Grzymski at the donation ceremony in DKFZ.

Senior physician Dr. Till Milde from the Department of Paediatric Oncology received once again a symbolic cheque from Jenny and Marcel Bilger, who presented the generous donation with their children Rosa, Paul and Thea. As in previous years this was made possible because many people living near the family's place of residence have become engaged in cancer research and got involved in diverse money raising activities. Dr. Milde expressed his warmest thanks for the visit and for the considerable donation in support of children's oncology.

Alicia Schwaiger 17 from Ubstadt Weiher organized a very special event: To Swing Into Action - in the literal sense of the word. On October 7th in order to raise funds for cancer research she organized the first charity dance concert in the surrounding area. And this with great success: On that evening numerous regional hip-hop, break-dance and jazz-dance groups performed including even top class world championship winners. Alicia not only did the planning, organization and moderation of the evening, but she actively participated and danced on stage. Active support was provided by the "Hardtseegugga Ubstadt-Weiher", a carnival music group, which helped to set-up, dismantle and host the event. In addition, Alicia was able to win numerous sponsors. A total of 7,000 EUR was raised for cancer research – an impressive sum, which reflects the success of the event and the outstanding commitment of Alicia Schwaiger. Many guests encouraged her after the event to organize it again next year.
The organizer (middle) came to DKFZ in person to present the check. Alicia Schwaiger together with her mother (left), Waltraud Dieckelt and Diana Stier from Hardtseegugga (right) presented the symbolic check to Alexandra Stumpf from DFKZ. The German Cancer Research Center would like to express its sincere thanks for the generous support and exceptional commitment.

Markus Siebert presented a donation to cancer research on behalf of TempoRatio, a personnel service provider based in Schwetzingen, Germany. TempoRatio traditionally dispenses with Christmas customer gifts, and donates instead for charitable causes to organizations in the region, suggested by their employees. Prof. Josef Puchta, the commercial director of the German Cancer Research Center expressed his sincere thanks to the management and personnel at TempoRatio for their generous gesture and confidence in the work of DKFZ.

During their visit to DKFZ the executive board of DLFH Association Pfalz e.V. once again presented a very generous donation. This year the association is supporting research work of the clinical cooperation unit Pediatric Oncology with 12,000 EUR. On behalf of his team and the children and adolescents under his care, Prof. Olaf Witt (center) thanked the association members for the generous sum of money they raised through their numerous activities.

The donation was presented by Dragan Somborac, Manuela Eichin, Heidi Böhmer, and Jürgen Böhmer (from left to right).

After his brother was diagnosed with cancer, Frank Kötting started an initiative for cancer research. He organized "Rock on the Wied", a charity concert to raise donations for further research into CUP-Syndrome. Even the organizer and his family were amazed by the overwhelming success of the concert. Altogether the event raised the impressive sum of 13,146.57 EUR. Alexandra Stumpf gladly accepted the invitation to Waldbreitbach to be presented with the check. On behalf of the German Cancer Research Center she expressed her heartfelt thanks for the commitment and the very generous donation.

FCKCNCR in Hamburg has supported cancer research since February 2016. Through the sale of handmade bracelets the founders of this initiative want to draw attention to cancer disease, helping to free it from its taboos. At the same time they want to advance cancer research. All proceeds from the sales will be donated to cancer research. In July 2017 the 10,000 EUR mark was reached! The German Cancer Research Center would like to offer their sincere thanks for this extraordinary initiative and the impressive sum that was raised. We are very pleased to have FCKCNCR as a lasting supporter of cancer research at our side.

The wife, friends and neighbours of the late Andreas (Andy) Kothöfer got together in his memory and organized a fundraising campaign in support of DKFZ. It was a long cherished dream of Andreas Kothöfer and his friend to serve food to passing strollers and cyclists on the Büren city bridge. Now his friends have made this dream a reality. The campaign took place on Sunday, June 25th, with the help of numerous supporters and a food van provided for the occasion. Many people came by and supported the action despite the bad weather. The proceeds from the sale as well as all donations will be used for cancer research. The organizers hope through their action more people will have a better chance of being healed than Andy had. The German Cancer Research Center would like to express its sincere thanks to all the initiators and donators who helped raise the total sum of 1,225 EUR.

This year's DKFZ charity run took place on Sunday, May 28, 2017. We are very pleased that approximately 500 runners and walkers participated despite the hot weather. Their engagement will support cancer research at the German Cancer Research Center. We would like to offer our many thanks to all those who participated. We would also like to thank our supporters and sponsors. They have donated fitness and leisure equipment that were awarded to the participants at the end with the intention to motivate them to keep active.

Walter Frick GmbH has once again decided to make a donation to the German Cancer Research Center. The advancement of cancer research is a matter of great concern for the entrepreneur from Leibertingen. The photo (right and left) shows Mr. and Mrs. Frick presenting the donation check. On behalf of the German Cancer Research Center, Alexandra Stumpf expressed her heartfelt thanks for their generous support!

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, February 4th, the students at Liselotte Gymnasium in Mannheim collected donations for cancer research. They sold hand made blue ribbons at school and donated the money to the German Cancer Research Center.
The photograph was taken during the presentation of the donation at "Lilo". The attendees were Michelle Mechler, Niko Vasiliadis Hannah Meder and Franziska Welker from SMV (student council) and Alexandra Stumpf from DKFZ (in the center).
The German Cancer Research Center would like to offer its heartfelt thanks to all of the students for their fundraising initiative!