Fundraising Campaign Helps to Open New Children’s Hospice

Thanks to the Hungarian public media’s fundraising campaign ‘Good to be good!’ (Jónak lenni jó!), the new Tábitha Children’s Hospice House of the Hungarian Baptist Aid is expected to be inaugurated in 2026. Almost HUF 520 million (EUR 1.3 million) has been raised for the construction of the hospice, the CEO of Duna Médiaszolgáltató Nonprofit Zrt. (part of the public media) said on Kossuth Radio.

Anita Altorjai recalled that when the aim of this year’s campaign was revealed, many people were still worried about how to talk about the issue of children’s hospice and present this activity in a way that would “touch” people without causing shock. This process was successful, she said, because “the viewers were partners,” as the amount of donations showed. She noted that thanks to colleagues in the public media, people could see exactly what the donations would be used for, how the families supported lived, and how the Tábitha House worked.

She pointed out that statistics show that around 1,500 children die every year in Hungary, and 700 to 800 of them are suffering from serious or incurable illnesses.

We need to pay special attention to them and seize the last opportunity to keep them with us for as long as possible,”

she said. She added that it could not be ruled out that as long as sick children were “with us a little longer,” science could help find a cure for those who could not yet get help.

Fact

The Tábitha Pediatric Hospice House, Hungary’s only standalone pediatric hospice, serves a critical role in providing care for children with chronic complex conditions. Located in Törökbálint, near Budapest, it offers both inpatient and home care for children and adolescents. Since its opening in September 2011, the hospice has been a cornerstone of pediatric palliative care in the country, addressing unique healthcare needs with a compassionate approach.

Anita Altorjai (R). Photo: MTI/Máthé Zoltán

She noted that the foundations of the new Tábitha House, that will cover more than 1,000 square meters and will have eight rooms, were laid in May and that

donations will make it possible to build it until 2026.

The building will be provided with state-of-the-art equipment, with adequate accommodation for caretakers, and will be a facility of European standard.

In the future, she said, public media will provide regular updates on the construction of the house, so that, as in previous campaigns, everyone can follow exactly where their donations have landed.

In the past thirteen years of the ‘Good to be good’ campaigns, almost HUF 3 billion (EUR 7.8 million) have been raised.

“Every year we try to help organizations and people in need who require care in a credible and responsible way. Hungary is a partner in this, and so are those beyond its borders, as many donations come from all over the world,” said Anita Altorjai, underlining that this can be achieved effectively through the social role played by public media.

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