Christian Wulff Visits Victims of Catastrophic Earthquake.
The relief action “Give Children a Future” sponsored by the Otto Bock Foundation supports girls and boys that fell victim to the catastrophic earthquake in the Sichuan region of China. Premier of Lower Saxony Christian Wulff spoke to some of these children for 45 minutes during a reception at the German embassy in Beijing on German Unification Day.
“I hope to see you again in two or three years. I cannot wait to see how you will be doing,” Wulff said as he bade farewell to the children. Serious injuries meant they had to have arm or leg amputations. Some of them are still traumatised since they were buried for days before rescuers could free them. Now they are receiving prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs. Professor Hans Georg Näder, chairman and CEO of the Otto Bock Group, offered his assurances that the foundation will continue to support the children in the future. Their medical aids will need to be adjusted time and time again as they grow.
In order to provide fast, effective aid within the country, the Otto Bock Foundation cooperates with the Red Cross of China. An agreement on subsequent steps was reached during the Paralympics in September. The number of children that will be supported has already been increased from 6 to 26. Professor Hans Georg Näder took this opportunity to speak to the first six children receiving fittings in Beijing, bringing a VIP visitor along: Katarina Witt. Near the end of her athletic career, the most successful female figure skater of all time established her own foundation which is also supporting this relief action for earthquake victims in addition to other projects. For more information on the “Give Children a Future” initiative, please visit www.foundation.ottobock.com.
