128 C&A employees raised € 120.000 during the past Vienna City Marathon to support RED NOSES

Doing sports makes people happy. Clowns bring humour and laughter. Both motivate and promote social interactions and emotional well-being. For this reason, 128 C&A employees showed, for the fourth year consecutive, their commitment at the Vienna City Marathon 2019. The C&A Foundation is donating a total of € 120,000 to RED NOSES International (RNI) for the "Intensive Smile" project in Austria and six other countries.

As much as a wholehearted laugh, sport releases “happy” hormones. That is why a total of 32 relay teams from C&A employees from Austria and CEE took up the challenge to run the marathon and support us at the same time. They all want RED NOSES clowns to help sick children, especially in difficult examinations or painful treatments.

With their donation, the C&A Foundation supports the project "Intensive Smile", a format that seeks to accompany children before, during and after surgery, or complex treatments, and that it is running successfully in Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.

Most children struggle to cope with the hospital environment. The pain, confusion, loss of control, and separation from family associated with medical treatments may lead to Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress, which can have long-term effects on a child’s physical and mental health. When RED NOSES are present, a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere is created. The clown playfully explains to the child what will happen during the examination and shifts the focus away from the treatment. It makes it easier for the child, but also for the medical staff that can work with a more cooperative patient.

 "While physicians take care of the illness, RED NOSES clowns focus on the emotional well-being of sick children, creating a relaxed, light atmosphere. The kids are so much more cooperative and get well faster. I warmly thank the C&A Foundation for its generous support over the years to help sick children in hospitals "says Monica Culen, CEO of RED NOSES International.

 "I am delighted that so many of our employees are working together and running a marathon for sick children in hospitals. That is a very special achievement! " Says Norbert W. Scheele, CEO of C&A Mode Austria and Central Eastern Europe.