Companies Known as 'Kidari Ajussi' Helping Pediatric and Adolescent Patients Draw Attention

Simmons Donates 5% of 'Beautyrest 1925' Sales
Maeil Dairies Donates Sterilized Ice Cream
Hyundai Motor Supports US Pediatric Cancer Patients Through Joint Donations with Dealers

Simmons Bed introduced the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) bed, 'Beautyrest 1925'.

As the year-end approaches, kind-hearted companies volunteering as 'Tall Uncle' for pediatric and adolescent patients are drawing attention.

Simmons Bed introduced the industry's first ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) bed, the 'Beautyrest 1925,' in February, presenting a new paradigm of sustainable donation culture in the industry.

For every sale of this product, 5% of the consumer price is accumulated as a remodeling fund for the Pediatric and Adolescent Center at Samsung Seoul Hospital, scheduled for completion in 2025. In less than five months since its launch, the accumulated donation has exceeded 300 million KRW. This has received strong support from consumers, aligning with the 'value consumption' trend where people hope their purchases benefit the world.

Simmons first connected with Samsung Seoul Hospital in 2020. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak and the risk of healthcare system collapse, Simmons donated 300 million KRW to help treat pediatric cancer and severe rare and intractable disease patients who might otherwise be neglected. Continuing steady support for four years, the accumulated donation has reached 1.2 billion KRW. Through these donations, over 100 patients have received practical assistance such as inpatient and outpatient treatment costs.

Starting this year, Simmons has expanded its support beyond disease treatment to actively care for the overall lives of patients by including 'pediatric and adolescent palliative care,' which improves patients' quality of life through pain management, provides psychological and social support for patients and families, supports patients' physical and emotional development, and cares for families during end-of-life and bereavement.

Maeil Dairies employees visited Seoul National University Children's Hospital to deliver ice cream to pediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Maeil Dairies continued its sharing activities by delivering 6,000 sterilized ice creams to Seoul National University Children's Hospital in September, following a similar donation in March, to support pediatric cancer patients struggling with chemotherapy. The donated 'Sangha Farm Frozen Ice Cream' comes in three sterilized, shelf-stable varieties. These products have been a great help to children who require sterile meals due to weakened immune systems during treatment or who cannot eat properly due to chemotherapy side effects.

Maeil Dairies launched the 'Sangha Farm Organic Lactose-Free Milk' product using the Lactofree (LF) process, which removes lactose, a component in milk that can cause stomach pain when consuming dairy products. This product allows people suffering from lactose intolerance, who experience symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea after milk consumption, to drink without worry. One percent of the product sales is used as a fund for social contribution campaigns conducted by Maeil Dairies.

Maeil Dairies has been producing special formula milk for children with congenital metabolic disorders for over 20 years. To ensure quality, the entire production process is halted twice a year for 24 hours of internal cleaning. Due to the small production volume, labels are applied manually at the can packaging stage.

Jung Eui-sun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group (center), attended the company's campaign event 'Hyundai Hope on Wheels' to eradicate childhood cancer.

ESG activities by domestic companies for pediatric and adolescent patients can also be seen on the global stage. Hyundai Motor Company's social contribution program in the U.S., 'Hyundai Hope On Wheels,' is a representative example.

In 1998, Hyundai Motor, together with dealers in the U.S., established the 'Hope On Wheels' foundation to support hospitals and research institutions related to pediatric cancer. The purpose is to contribute to ending pediatric cancer by supporting innovative research and treatment for this leading cause of death among children in the U.S.

Donations are made through a joint fund where Hyundai dealers accumulate a certain amount from car sales, and Hyundai Motor adds to the donation. Over 830 dealers nationwide contribute. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Hope On Wheels this year, Hyundai Motor donated an additional 25 million USD, bringing the total accumulated donation to 225 million USD (approximately 304 billion KRW). Through this, about 1,300 projects at 175 hospitals and research institutions conducting pediatric cancer treatment and research in the U.S. have been supported.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.