60 Years of Saving Lives & Giving Back – How BIOTRONIK Offices Support Local Communities

As a company whose main mission is to save and improve lives around the world, BIOTRONIK is no stranger to being of service and helping to create a better world. But alongside our responsibility to patients and the medical community, we also have a responsibility to the local, regional, and national communities where we operate.  

That’s why BIOTRONIK offices around the world make a point of engaging with local charities and initiatives – to help improve the communities in which we’re based. As we mark Charity Day on September 5th, we’re mindful that supporting our local communities means being integrated in them. 

In addition to the support Berlin Headquarters gives to initiatives such as supporting underprivileged children through organizations like Die Arche, our local and regional offices around the world are empowered to support initiatives close to them and their hearts. 

As one of BIOTRONIK’s most active offices, US HQ in Portland, Oregon also brings its energy to several local and state-level initiatives through financial support and employee volunteer time – through its Corporate Compass Campaign. 

“We chose to support the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Merry Heart Children’s Camp because both organizations have missions similar to ours – improving the lives of patients with heart-related conditions,” says Heather La Bore, Training Director at BIOTRONIK in the US. 

Every year, dozens of BIOTRONIK colleagues from the Portland office join the AHA Heart and Stroke walk in Portland. Walkers raise funds to support the American Heart Association’s work and research into cardiovascular disease, with BIOTRONIK’s Portland office also kicking in support. The Portland team also regularly lends both extra hands and sends funds for the AHA annual Heart Ball. 

“The money raised through these events help fund AHA’s mission to improve the cardiovascular health of the American population,” says La Bore. 

Meanwhile, the Merry Heart Children’s Camp is a five-day, four-night summer camp that provides a safe experience specially focused on children and youth with heart conditions. Campers typically come from Oregon, Washington and Idaho and benefit from a fun summer camp experience with specially trained staff. BIOTRONIK Inc. and its employees support Merry Heart both through funds and volunteer time – whether during the camp’s annual fundraising dinner and auction, camp registration, or a “show and tell” session with campers that helps them to understand their devices – if they have them. 

La Bore also highlights the company’s work in the Feeding America campaign, where US-based employees organize an office contribution to collect both non-perishable food items and funds for local food banks. 

It started with the donation of a single BIOTRONIK device. Now, the Revived Pulse Foundation – supported by BIOTRONIK South Africa – is donating around 10 to 20 devices a year to patients without health insurance coverage. 

“In 2013, Revived Pulse Foundation founder Faan Botha was diagnosed with severe heart failure and had to receive a CRT-D device implantation. Unfortunately, his medical insurance declined to pay for the device and we, in collaboration with the hospital team, decided to donate the device to Faan as it was a matter of life and death,” says BIOTRONIK South Africa Guateng North Regional Manager Leon Nel. “The gratitude he felt for this led to the birth of Revived Pulse Foundation in 2018 – to try and help others in need as well. The foundation is well set up to help patients in desperate need and we continue to collaborate with Revived Pulse to help do that.” 

BIOTRONIK South Africa continues to support Revived Pulse through device donations and help during fundraising events. Botha also plans to gradually expand the numbers of patients Revived Pulse can help. 

You can read more about his journey in an earlier piece here. 

In a partnership based on shared values, BIOTRONIK’s Czech office in Prague has partnered locally with Sue Ryder, a charity that helps provide high-quality care to the elderly when just a little extra support is required to help deal with some of the challenges of aging. 

Sue Ryder helps provide both clients and their families with counselling, residential care and personal assistance, and even equipment when necessary. If needed, it helps arrange home visits or even personalized expertise to seniors and their families, with a view to maintaining dignity in aging – even when a bit of extra help is needed. 

“It’s an organisation that brings quality, individual attention, and expertise to elderly people and their families,” says BIOTRONIK Czechia’s Magdalena Bockova, who says the Prague office has been providing Sue Ryder with financial donations for three years. “In particular, our donations have helped maintain an interdisciplinary team that includes doctors, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists, and even chaplains – to ensure that every senior can receive the best possible professional care.” 

These examples from our colleagues from around the world show that it sometimes doesn't take much to make a difference – just a good idea & motivated colleagues who are willing to lend a hand. 

We would like to thank all BIOTRONIK supporters for their commitment and dedication!