“Let’s Give Life Together with Huggies” adds life to K-C Russia partnership
Kimberly-Clark Russia recently conducted a six-week-long "Let's
Give Life Together with Huggies" promotion in the Moscow area,
along with Korablik, Russia's second-largest baby merchandise chain
store, to raise funds for the nonprofit organization Podari Zhizn
(Give Life), which provides aid to children with cancer.
For each package of Huggies diapers purchased from Oct. 1 to
Nov. 15, 2009, Kimberly-Clark donated 15 rubles to Podari Zhizn.
Kimberly-Clark also donated an additional 1.5 million rubles to the
fund, for a total donation of 2.55 million rubles (about
US$86,000).
The funds will be used to provide bone marrow transplants for
children with cancer, including searches for non-relative donors,
medicine and other related medical materials.
At a celebratory event, the director of the Serov School of Art
presented a series of greeting cards designed by children who are
benefiting from this donation as an expression of appreciation for
the donation. Russian actor Artur Smolyaninov also attended the
event to show his support for the organization.
"We often argue whether there is life on Mars or Jupiter or not,"
Smolyaninov said. "And much more seldom think that there is life
here, much closer. The more actions like this, the better for all
of us. It is important that people feel it and do not close their
hearts, but be more opened up to each other."
"I think that the event completed remarkably," said Galina
Chalikova, president of the Fund Podari Zhizn. "I would like to
sincerely thank everybody who participated in the event. We strive
for an increasing number of personal benefactors. Each month,
thousands of people all over Russia contribute money to our fund.
This event, with our partners Kimberly-Clark and Korablik, made it
clear that there are other ways to help children."
In addition to the cause-marketing project and the financial
contribution, volunteers and actors visited patients in the
hematology department of Russian Children's Clinical Hospital and
Moscow Regional Oncologic Dispensary twice during the promotional
period. They brought toys, games and children's videos to help
entertain hospitalized children.
Each weekend during the promotional period, in-store events were
held with well-known Russian actors, including Miroslava Karpovich
and Anastasia Sivayeva ("Daddy's Daughters"), Maxim Matveev
("Dudes"), Artur Smolyananov ("9 Rota"), and the actors from
"Doctor Clown." They played games with the children and their
parents, drew get-well pictures and made get-well messages for the
patients.
"Kimberly-Clark was very excited to be able to participate in
this fundraising opportunity for Podary Zhizn," said Anastasia
Zhigalova of Kimberly-Clark Eastern Europe. "We first got involved
with this charity last spring when Kimberly-Clark volunteers helped
with renovations to make hospital rooms ready for children's cancer
patients. Our employees also were involved in the May charity
concert of Podary Zhizn. Both events left an indelible impression
on our people. We wanted to conduct this event to call attention to
the needs of these children and to work with our partner Korablik
on a charity cause of interest to both companies. It was very
successful. We raised awareness of the fact that, even in the case
of cancer, there is always hope. And the number of people who
understand that even their small contribution can make an impact
was increased. And we demonstrated that 'helping together' is a
joyful habit, which could be a part of everyday culture."
Kimberly-Clark also is a regular contributor of diapers, tissues
and children's medical masks to Moscow-area children's hospitals
and orphanages.
