Fan creates a teddy bear-campaign for Yuzuru Hanyu

The two-time Olympic and World Champion figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu from Japan enters the ISU World Figure Skating Championship in Stockholm today. Usually it looks like this after Hanyus’s program - an ice full of teddy bears from the fans. (Here is a short story on why). But this year, due to the pandemic, 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 the performance, Senem Gençer initiated this fantastic project in the spirit of Yuzuru Hanyu.

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

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 Foundation for the Astrid Lindgrens Children's Hospital in Stockholm - go via press@skatesweden.se.

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

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

Fan creates a teddy bear-campaign for Yuzuru Hanyu

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

Stockholm is preparing to host this year’s World Figure Skating Championship between 22-28 March at Ericsson Globe Arena. However, this year the entire Championship will be held in a so-called “bubble” and without an audience because of the Covid-19 pandemic’s health and safety measures. Realizing that “no audience Arena” means children hospitals not getting any toys from the fans, Senem Gençer, one of Hanyu’s supporters started a campaign in order to change the unfortunate situation. United only through social media so far, she is now calling the famous skater’s fans to donate money to the Foundation for the Astrid Lindgren Children Hospital in Stockholm. The Foundation will use the donations for helping and supporting sick children and their families.

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

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

The campaign is shared by many Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Yuzuru Hanyu fan pages. The aim is that sick children at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital and the vulnerable children at the shelter, will benefit from donations 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 can be found.

Senem Gençer is a figure skating fan, and she lives in Zürich, Switzerland with her family. When Senem Gençer realized that ill Swedish children would not get any toys from the fans at this year’s World Figure Skating Championship in Stockholm on March 22 to 28, she started a campaign on social media in order to change the unfortunate situation.

Link to the campaign: yuzuru4children.blogspot.com

Contact Senem Gençer, Email: senemgencer71@gmail.com, phone: 0041 76 587 3170