One step closer to heaven

The new palliative care unit at Herz-Jesu Hospital in Münster-Hiltrup is taking shape. The shell of the ward, which is being planned and implemented as an extension to the south-west wing of the hospital, has now been completed. The new floor is still missing all the interior walls, windows and doors. However, the visual axis from the station entrance to the large, floor-to-ceiling window openings opposite makes the generous, light-filled spatial planning easily recognizable. A total of ten places are being created here for people on their last journey through life. One of the main aims of the new building is to offer them as pleasant an environment as possible for their last days.

Public funds are not available for the construction of such a building, including the required and desired equipment. The hospital needs private donations for this. The idea and concept also convinced the software company secova from Rheine. However, their major donation of 200,000 euros has a very personal history linked to the palliative care unit: Melanie Klaas, wife of the company founder and, as the “good spirit”, largely responsible for the special “secova spirit”, passed away last year after a serious illness. She spent a few weeks in the still existing ward and from her own experience had a wish for “her” secova: “Please support this palliative care unit(and the hospice “Haus Hannah” in Emsdetten) generously with a donation! People like me also want to experience their last journey in a way that we personally find beautiful and appropriate. This can include a picture, a pleasant scent, music or simply a view of nature. Being able to have a say in the atmosphere of our surroundings is so important and worthy!”

secova: Donate yourself and encourage others

Over the past year and a half, secova has realized Melanie’s wish and donated a total of 250,000 euros to two institutions. This is also an exceptionally high sum for the software company, which is successful with its EHS solution system sam® and now has over 100 employees. “Our hope,” says secova’s CEO Jörg Klaas, “is that we can not only contribute to a real improvement in the situation of the people affected. We would also like to encourage others – whether companies or private individuals – to think about how much more is possible for many of us!”

Donating and thus supporting a wide variety of organizations and initiatives has a long tradition at secova. Instead of sending Christmas greetings by post, the Münsterlanders prefer to make a video and pass on the postage they save. Team secova is also doing its bit for a good cause – or in the tent: the company is converting its sporting and creative commitment into donations for both the active month of May and the living Advent calendar. The same applied to the“Campsite instead of hotel comfort” campaign on the occasion of this year’s strategy check – the money saved was donated to charity. The active participants were and are allowed to decide for themselves who the recipients of their donations should be.

Whether it’s 50 or even 200,000 euros – every donation contributes to something positive and makes some things possible in the first place. The new palliative care unit at Herz-Jesu Hospital can only be realized because a sufficient number of companies and private individuals have made a financial commitment. How far along is the new building at the end of 2024? Which rooms are to be created where? What will be possible then? – Answers to this were provided at a press event in the shell of the building and on the roof, which made one thing clear: the future patients in the new palliative care unit should be able to embark on their “last journey” in as comfortable a setting as possible. Thanks to the open design, the generous view of nature and the sky certainly contributes to this. The “Westfälische Nachrichten” newspaper gave a comprehensive account of their impressions in its report from November 16.