Every year, Westdeutscher Rundfunk organizes the hands-on campaign "Türen auf mit der Maus" ("Open the doors with the mouse"). This year, LichtHafen, the new surgery center for young people with complex chronic diseases, which was newly built by the Vestische Kinderklinik Datteln - University of Witten/Herdecke, is also included. Attention: Access by appointment only!

As a pediatric clinic, the Vestische Kinderklinik has been connecting people and medicine since its founding. Every day, the staff takes care that children receive good medical care and do not have to be afraid of treatments. The clinic doors are open to people from all countries and religions. Children from all over the world come to Datteln, and doctors and nurses from many countries visit us to learn. This is how connections are made across nationalities, language barriers and borders.

The LichtHafen and the Children's Palliative Care Center Starting in the fall of 2022, LichtHafen will operate on children suffering from complex chronic diseases that are often life-threatening. The clinic has also been treating these seriously ill children, adolescents and young adults for over 10 years in its Children's Palliative Care Center, which is located on the floors below the "LichtHafen". What's special about our new surgery center, which covers more than 1,000m2 , is that sunlight can shine in from all sides - even into the operating rooms! We also have colorful pictures and color showers by an artist. All this creates an atmosphere for children and parents in which fear disappears and confidence grows.

On the open day with the WDR mouse, visitors can see how state-of-the-art medicine and human interaction combine to provide the best possible care for patients and their families. The doctors and nurses will answer questions and give tours of the rooms, small hands-on stations invite visitors to play and explore, and those who like can also be present live when the mouse is "operated on".