Fresenius Medical Care organizes Organ Donation Day
Fresenius Medical Care organizes Organ Donation Day
"Give life a chance" was the motto under which Fresenius Medical Care, the world’s largest provider of dialysis products and services, informed employees in Bad Homburg yesterday about organ donation. Individuals not only need to be well informed and carefully consider whether or not they wish to make an organ donation: Above all, they need to make a decision.
"Fresenius Medical Care supports organ transplantation,” said Dr. Katarzyna Mazur-Hofsäß, Fresenius Medical Care's Chief Executive Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa. “For our patients with chronic kidney disease, a future worth living includes hope for a transplant, and that is exactly what we are preparing our patients for in our dialysis clinics. We want to educate and inform today, because during their lifetimes many people do not make a decision about a possible donation of their organs.”
Mayor Alexander Hetjes of Bad Homburg welcomed Fresenius Medical Care’s support for organ transplantation. “I’m very happy when companies in Bad Homburg also get involved in debates about social issues,” the mayor said. “To me it’s important to talk with many people about organ donation, so that we can all be better informed when making this very personal decision.”
Two organ donor recipients reported on their experiences via video, and medical information was explained to the employees by Dr. Anja Brückel of the German Organ Transplantation Foundation. "In Germany, more than 9,000 seriously ill people are waiting for a donor organ,” Dr. Brückel said. “For them, transplantation is the only way to survive or significantly improve their quality of life. However, this is only possible if people are willing to donate their organs. That’s why it is important to address the issue of organ donation during one’s lifetime, make close relatives aware of the decision, and fill out an organ donor card.”
The foundation made organ donation cards available to interested employees. Mayor Hetjes, Dr. Mazur-Hofsäß and Dr. Brückel together planted a traditional gingko, the tree of life, in front of Fresenius’ new EK3 headquarters building. And after a raffle among employee raised €770 the company announced it would increase that amount 10-fold, for a total donation of €7,700 to Kinderhilfe Organtransplantation, a German charity that supports children undergoing transplants and their families.
Press Photos (High-res)
Mayor Alexander Hetjes of Bad Homburg
Fresenius Medical Care is the world's largest provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases of which around 3.4 million patients worldwide regularly undergo dialysis treatment. Through its network of 3,971 dialysis clinics, Fresenius Medical Care provides dialysis treatments for 336,716 patients around the globe. Fresenius Medical Care is also the leading provider of dialysis products such as dialysis machines or dialyzers. Along with its core business, the company provides related medical services in the field of Care Coordination. Fresenius Medical Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME) and on the New York Stock Exchange (FMS).
Disclaimer
This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to certain factors, including changes in business, economic and competitive conditions, regulatory reforms, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, uncertainties in litigation or investigative proceedings, and the availability of financing. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release.
