Instead of teddy bears on the ice - the Foundation for the Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital in Stockholm is getting teddy bearsdelivered from all over the world. Photo: Sanna Murray-Salander.

2021-03-25 09:58 CET

Fan creates a teddy bear-campaign forYuzuru Hanyu

The two-time Olympic and World Champion figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu fromJapan enters the ISU World Figure Skating Championship in Stockholm today.Usually it looks like this after Hanyus’s program - an ice full of teddy bearsfrom the fans. (Here is a short story on why). But this year, due to thepandemic, there will be no audience and no teddy bears thrown on the ice.

But we got a wonderful letter from Yzury Hanyu-fan from Switzerland. Since

there will be no audience and no throwing teddy bears on ice after theperformance, Senem Gençer initiated this fantastic project in the spirit ofYuzuru Hanyu.

She started a campaign online where fans can buy a teddy bear online andhave it sent to the Foundation fore the Astrid Lindgrens Children's Hospital inStockholm.

The hospital confirms that they have started to receive donations, presents,Winnie the Poohs and Teddy Bears from Turkey, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland,Scotland, Germany, Australia, USA and Russia.

Read the full story below. If you want to get in contact with the Foundationfor the Astrid Lindgrens Children's Hospital in Stockholm - go viapress@skatesweden.se.

Pictures: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AD-lubcqWWPLsku2lmIDyj67pB550xlM

Please feel free to use this info and contact Senem Gençer directly if youhave any questions

Fan creates a teddy bear-campaign for Yuzuru Hanyu

Two-time Olympic and World Champion figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu fromJapan is not only famous for his outstanding skating career but hismultinational loyal fanbase who follow him to different cities around theworld during competitions as well. Hanyu, who carries his lucky charm teddybear tissue box wherever he goes, is adored by his fans to the limit that theyfill the ice rink with hundreds of the same plush teddy bears and other toysthat they throw after his every programme, as a sign of their love. The 26year old skater’s management team then donates those toys to children’shospitals in the city where the competition takes place.

Stockholm is preparing to host this year’s World Figure Skating Championshipbetween 22-28 March at Ericsson Globe Arena. However, this year the entireChampionship will be held in a so-called “bubble” and without an audience

because of the Covid-19 pandemic’s health and safety measures. Realizingthat “no audience Arena” means children hospitals not getting any toys fromthe fans, Senem Gençer, one of Hanyu’s supporters started a campaign inorder to change the unfortunate situation. United only through social mediaso far, she is now calling the famous skater’s fans to donate money to theFoundation for the Astrid Lindgren Children Hospital in Stockholm. TheFoundation will use the donations for helping and supporting sick childrenand their families.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic the Children’s hospital cannot accepttoys sent. If the fans would rather send plush teddies or toys, they will bedonated to a Women’s Shelter in Stockholm. The shelter is supporting womenescaping domestic violence, and their children.

Senem Gençer says: “I wish for the children at Astrid Lindgren Children’sHospital and at the Women’s Shelter, to get some joy and comfort. I count onthe help and support from many of Yuzuru Hanyu's fans.”

The campaign is shared by many Twitter, Instagram and Facebook YuzuruHanyu fan pages. The aim is that sick children at Astrid Lindgren Children’sHospital and the vulnerable children at the shelter, will benefit fromdonations and presents from Hanyufans from all over the world.

There is also a blog page dedicated for the campaign,yuzuru4children.blogspot.com, where all further details about donations canbe found.

Senem Gençer is a figure skating fan, and she lives in Zürich, Switzerlandwith her family. When Senem Gençer realized that ill Swedish children wouldnot get any toys from the fans at this year’s World Figure SkatingChampionship in Stockholm on March 22 to 28, she started a campaign onsocial media in order to change the unfortunate situation.

Link to the campaign: yuzuru4children.blogspot.com

Contact Senem Gençer, Email: senemgencer71@gmail.com, phone: 0041 76587 3170