We are pleased to submit to you the first annual report (05.12.2022 – 30.06.2024) of Kinderhospiz Flamingo AG. It was prepared in accordance with the Swiss GAAP FER 21 standard. The public limited company is wholly owned by the Swiss Children’s Hospice Foundation. As the operating company for the Flamingo Children’s Hospice, it holds the building lease for the property, is the client and will operate the facility in the future.
The Flamingo children’s hospice – a place of retreat
The Flamingo Children’s Hospice is a place of retreat with holistic services where children and young people with life-limiting illnesses, their closest carers and siblings can recharge their batteries and return to their demanding everyday lives with renewed strength. This complements the supply chain for paediatric palliative care (PPC).
Our Flamingo children’s hospice is currently being built in Fällanden, in the canton of Zurich, for eight affected children and their families. From the end of 2025, families will be able to take advantage of this offer on a beautiful plot of land close to Lake Greifensee and with a view of the Alpine panorama. We are delighted to be realising a home that promotes the best possible quality of life for all those affected.
In order to live up to our guiding principle ‘holistic | supportive | unique’, there are significant challenges to overcome before the start of operations. We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration with our committed business partners, representatives of the authorities and the growing number of employees. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all of them for their valuable services.
Juerg Herren, for the Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board of Directors Kinderhospiz Flamingo AG
September 2024
Review of the year in pictures
Finances
The first annual financial statements of Kinderhospiz Flamingo AG are prepared in accordance with SWISS GAAP FER 21 accounting for charitable non-profit organisations. You can download the complete financial report (05.12.2022-30.06.2024) here.
Cooperation ZHdK
Thanks to the constructive cooperation with the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and creative students, the foundation’s redesign was implemented in autumn 2023 and the Flamingo Children’s Hospice’s new look, logo and website were launched.
Prof Bitten Stetter, ZHdK in conversation with us
When the Swiss Children’s Hospice Foundation approached the ZHdK and the Trends & Identity department with an enquiry, it was a great opportunity for us – we were able to give the new children’s hospice building a ‘face’ together with young students. We developed an extracurricular, interdisciplinary module in which the students Noëlle Schmidt (Trends & Identity), Anja Rötheli Schmidt (Trends & Identity), Vera Oberholzer (Visual Communication) and Sandro Beti (Interaction Design) created a design concept that focused on abstract motifs from the animal world and convinced all those responsible.
The colourful animal world integrates the children’s hospice’s namesake, the flamingo, and the foundation’s butterfly, thus combining new and old.
Today, the animal world is used in a variety of ways and I am delighted that the students, who have since graduated, continue to work for the Swiss Children’s Hospice Foundation.
All in all, it was a wonderful and committed collaboration between all those involved. I would like to thank the Children’s Hospice Foundation for their trust, their openness and their willingness to make the Flamingo Children’s Hospice a diverse, colourful place where every being can recover for a moment, find support and be accompanied.
Prof. Bitten Stetter, Zurich University of the Arts: Head of Master Trends & Identity, Head of Research Trends & Identity, Lecturer Bachelor Trends & Identity.
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Our animal world
It’s fluttering, hopping and chirping around the Swiss Children’s Hospice Foundation. Since the redesign of our website, the butterfly – our symbolic animal – has been enriched by a colourful family of animals, led by the flamingo. The animals reflect the different people, needs and services of the children’s hospice and stand for cohesion, mutual support and relief. The animals are already part of our work and will later also accompany the affected families during their stay at the children’s hospice.
Flamingo
Our flamingo, the proud namesake, will soon be balancing on one leg in our children’s hospice and now dares to take a dip in the nearby Greifensee from time to time.
Bird
With its good sense of direction, the bird accompanies our animal family on very different journeys – whether high up in the air or chirping on the windowsill.
Elephant
With its imposing size, the elephant offers care and attention and frames the coexistence of the animal family with its blaring trumpet sounds.
Squirrel
Curious, industrious and playful – the squirrel is always on a journey of discovery and embodies joie de vivre and lightness with its skilful leaps.
Rabbit
The bunny, our nimble long-eared rabbit, with its cosy rabbit hole, stands for the various retreats that we will offer at the children’s hospice.
Butterfly
The butterfly, a master of transformation, makes its rounds as part of the large flamingo animal family – freshly unveiled and in a modern guise.
Flamingo
Our flamingo, the proud namesake, will soon be balancing on one leg in our children’s hospice and now dares to take a dip in the nearby Greifensee from time to time.
Bird
With its good sense of direction, the bird accompanies our animal family on very different journeys – whether high up in the air or chirping on the windowsill.
Squirrel
Curious, industrious and playful – the squirrel is always on a journey of discovery and embodies joie de vivre and lightness with its skilful leaps.
Elephant
With its imposing size, the elephant offers care and attention and frames the coexistence of the animal family with its blaring trumpet sounds.
Butterfly
The butterfly, a master of transformation, makes its rounds as part of the large flamingo animal family – freshly unveiled and in a modern guise.
Rabbit
The bunny, our nimble long-eared rabbit, with its cosy rabbit hole, stands for the various retreats that we will offer at the children’s hospice.
Construction progress
The initial focus was on securing the financing for the construction project, the construction approval of 15 September 2023 and the decision by the Foundation Board Committee on 12 October 2023 to realise the project.
What milestones have already been reached?
The main focus was on securing the financing for the construction project, the construction approval on 15 September 2023 and the decision by the Foundation Board Committee on 12 October 2023 to go ahead with the project. The ground-breaking ceremony on 5 December 2023, the actual start of construction on 8 January 2024, the necessary approvals for the environmental planning and the drilling work for the geothermal probes were further significant steps.
The excellent construction progress with the selected and commissioned contractors and suppliers and the continued successful, intensive collaboration with the general planning team from apb architekten AG and the construction trustee pom+ Consulting AG made it possible to ceremoniously lay the foundation stone at ground floor level on 27 June 2024.
Heinz Specker, foundation board member and construction project manager
The team at apb architekten ag Uster bears a great deal of responsibility for the new building of our Flamingo children’s hospice.
Which aspects of the construction were the most important?
The highlight was the decision to realise the project by the Board of Trustees committee in October 23; this triggered a great deal of joy, emotion and enthusiasm in the team – combined with the challenge of starting construction in a timely manner.
The Flamingo Children’s Hospice construction project has moved the entire apb team; the topic of ‘children’s hospices’ triggers many conversations – with planners and also entrepreneurs. Through personal reflection and confrontation with the topic of ‘life-limiting illnesses in children/young people’, we also identify very strongly with the project. We all have family and children in our private lives.
The definition of a children’s hospice is one of the most challenging tasks: What is a children’s hospice in terms of, for example, ‘utilisation, building law, construction technology, fire protection, standards and specifications…’. What is possible and what is necessary in terms of donations when planning and building a children’s hospice?
A children’s hospice is much more than a combination of living and care, such as in a retirement and nursing home – we can draw on a wealth of experience in this area. For our team, it is one of the most intensive and complex projects with numerous challenges at various levels.
We look forward to continuing our work at and for the Flamingo Children’s Hospice and are happy to accept the challenge.
Pia Kiebel Schinkhof, Dipl.- Ing. Arch. TH/SIA.
Company structure
The operation of our children’s hospice is complex. It is therefore all the more pleasing that we are already working intensively on the concept.
The following concepts have been developed
Hygiene concept for care
Care and support concept
Psychosocial concept
Operational concept including mission statement
Personnel management
HUV concept (housekeeping, accommodation, catering)
Negotiations with the Zurich Department of Health were also key in the past financial year. In February 2024, an early operating licence including approval and inclusion in the Zurich nursing home list was obtained. This was an important milestone with regard to future billing options and negotiations with service providers such as the IV, health insurance companies and local authorities.
Since August 2023, Managing Director Elisabeth Brenninkmeijer has been actively supported by Samuel Graf as Assistant GF Flamingo Children’s Hospice. We are delighted to have Samuel on our growing team.
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Challenges
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) conducted in-depth investigations into the need for paediatric palliative care in Switzerland in 2023. According to this study, around 10,000 children and adolescents in Switzerland are affected by a life-limiting illness. This figure has doubled compared to previous assumptions. The need for care places for shorter or longer periods of respite for affected families has been confirmed once again.
Funding of children’s hospices in Switzerland
The services in a children’s hospice are primarily financed by donations. We expect to be able to settle a maximum of 30 per cent of the costs incurred via the existing regulations in the healthcare and education sectors.
In recent years, new, forward-looking strategies for palliative care for all age groups have been developed. However, a breakthrough has not yet been achieved. We are therefore working with other partners and service providers in the field of paediatric palliative care (PPC) to find new and innovative solutions for the families affected.
Successful models abroad provide pointers for sensible solutions. Until new political decisions are made and implemented, children’s hospice work in Switzerland will continue to require significant donations every year.
Our Video
In our video, affected parents talk about loss, worries and fears and the daily burden of providing intensive care for their child. Elisabeth Brenninkmeijer shows the possibilities of a children’s hospice and explains how the ‘Flamingo’ professionally complements the paediatric-palliative care chain as an ideal retreat.
Foundation
The Swiss Children’s Hospice Foundation was founded in 2009 by afflicted parents and supporters of the children’s hospice movement. It is politically and religiously neutral and operates throughout Switzerland. An honorary, interdisciplinary board of trustees manages the Swiss Children’s Hospice Foundation and is supported by advisory boards from key specialist areas.
To the foundation’s website and annual report
Partnerships
Dachverband Hospize Schweiz DVHS, Luzern
Pro Fonds, Basel
Palliative ch, Bern
Paediatric Palliative Care Network CH (PPCN CH)
Deutscher Kinderhospiz Verein, Olpe, DE
Verein Mehr Leben, Basel
Universitäts Kinderspital Zürich
Stiftung allani Kinderhospiz, Bern
Auditors
BDO AG
Entfelderstrasse 1, 5001 Aarau
Thanks
We would like to thank all our donors for their fantastic support this year. They are both an inspiration and an obligation for us to work tirelessly for this important cause!
Donors
ABZ-Solidaritätsfond Anna Mueller Grocholski-Stiftung apb architekten Bethe-Stiftung Ernst Göhner Stiftung Fondation Juchum Finanzdirektion Zürich (Gemeinnütziger Fonds) Fondation Pleinvent GDMA Stiftung HKH Stiftung IW-Stiftung Mensch und Zukunft Joreva Stiftung Karitative Stiftung Dr. Gerberten Bosch Kündig &Cie AG Futtermittel Lotteriefonds Appenzell Ausserrhoden Lotteriefonds Appenzell Innerrhoden pom+ consulting ProLiberis Foundation Puhl-Stiftung für Kinder Reformierte Kirche Zug Rütli Stiftung Stiftung Amaari Stiftung STAB Siedlungsgenossenschafte Sunnige Hof Silvain Wyler Stiftung Steiger Stiftung Thomas & Doris Ammann Stiftung Verena Boller Stiftung Vontobel Stiftung ZKB-Bank
Many thanks to all donors and patrons!