Bayern Munich officials visited a hospital in Lviv prior to their goalless Champions League draw with Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday to announce that the club's charity branch will help fund operations on more than 50 children in Ukraine.
CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, his deputy Jan-Christian Dreesen and president Karl Hopfner -- who is also chairman of the FC Bayern Hilfe eV charity -- visited the hospital in an event co-ordinated by the Big Shoe charitable organisation.
Charity campaign: #FCBayern are taking on hospital and medical bills to help more than 50 children in Lviv. pic.twitter.com/1lrvc4vFX3
- FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) February 17, 2015
"These sorts of occasions make you understand what's really important in life," Rummenigge told Bayern's official website. "We don't think twice about getting involved when it comes to helping children lead a normal life."
Bayern, who have also donated hospital equipment, started their charitable branch in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia. Since 2007, most of its work has been carried out in Germany.
Big Shoe was set up around the 2006 World Cup in Wangen and has since paid for operations and medical equipment for children around the world. The organisation also counts Bundesliga clubs including Cologne and Borussia Monchengladbach among its partners.