VALUABLE SUPPORT

250,000 € DONATION FROM THE DIETMAR HOPP FOUNDATION!

We are delighted about the €250,000 donation to support the study by the Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology and the Kidney Center at Heidelberg University Hospital. We are investigating the extent to which patients suffering from heart and kidney disease benefit from peritoneal dialysis. A cardiorenal "THANK YOU" on behalf of research and our patients.

Patients suffering from heart and kidney disease could benefit from peritoneal dialysis. A joint project between the Kidney Center and the Clinic for Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology at Heidelberg University Hospital is to investigate the effectiveness of the therapy. The Dietmar Hopp Foundation is supporting the project with 250,000 euros. Patients with severe cardiac insufficiency very often also suffer from renal insufficiency.

If heart and kidney diseases occur together, this is referred to as "cardiorenal syndrome": patients suffer in particular from a disturbance of the water balance, which is accompanied by swollen legs, abdominal fluid and water retention in the lungs. Severe shortness of breath and hospital admissions are the result, which significantly reduces the patient's quality of life. One possible treatment option for these patients with severe heart and kidney failure is a "mild" form of dialysis, known as peritoneal dialysis. This involves using a catheter inserted into the peritoneum to remove not only toxins but also fluid from the tissues. Many patients can also perform this form of dialysis at home, which further improves their quality of life. The donation from the Dietmar Hopp Foundation will enable a project to investigate the positive effects of this therapy in more detail. Study leaders Dr. Katrin Klein (Kidney Center) and Prof. Dr. Michael Kreußer (Cardiology) suspect that peritoneal dialysis has further beneficial effects, for example on inflammatory processes, musculature and strength as well as the general condition of patients. These effects are now being further investigated in a prospective study at Heidelberg University Hospital in the "Peritoneal Dialysis in Heart Failure" program. "If our assumptions are correct, our study may enable us to focus more attention on this therapy option for heart failure, which has received little attention to date, so that more patients can benefit from it," says study director Prof. Dr. Kreußer.

About the Dietmar Hopp Foundation 
The Dietmar Hopp Foundation GmbH was founded in 1995 to enable the implementation of charitable projects. The foundation's assets consist primarily of SAP shares, which Dietmar Hopp contributed from his private holdings. Since its establishment, the foundation, which is one of the largest private foundations in Europe, has distributed around 800 million euros (as at December 2019). Its funding activities focus on the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region, with which the founder feels particularly connected. Upon application, the foundation supports projects of charitable organizations in the fields of sport, medicine, social affairs and education. The funding guidelines can be viewed on the website and corresponding applications can be sent to the foundation in St. Leon-Rot. Major funding projects in the medical field currently include the planned construction of the Heart Center and the Hopp Children's Tumor Center in Heidelberg. In addition, the Dietmar Hopp Stiftung GmbH also implements its statutory purposes through its own sponsorship campaigns. As a special campaign, 19 exercise and meeting facilities for all generations inspire under the title "alla hopp!". The aim of the alla hopp! campaign was and is to inspire as many people as possible in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region to exercise and lead an active life. The alla hopp! facilities connect the generations through the joy of movement. In 2014, the Climate Foundation for Citizens was also established by Dietmar Hopp Stiftung GmbH. The Climate Foundation aims to promote understanding of climate change and sustainable living and economic activity while inspiring people to take action. To this end, the Climate Foundation for Citizens has been operating the Klima Arena in Sinsheim since October 2019, an innovative exhibition and extracurricular learning venue for anyone who wants to make a sustainable commitment to the climate and the environment.