Concert in Innsbruck supports young cancer survivors
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Martina and Georg Astenwald are organizing a Christmas concert, “Weihnachten in den Bergen” (Christmas in the Mountains), on December 17th in Innsbruck Cathedral, Austria.
The couple has hosted the concert for many years, and it benefits “Jugend & Zukunft” (Youth & Future), a program of the Kinderkrebshilfe (Children’s Cancer Aid) organization. The concert aims to offer new opportunities to young people after they have battled cancer.
Franz Posch, a renowned folk musician, and the Astenwalds selected a group of performers including the Innsbruck Music School string quartet, soprano Annina Wachter, and the Zillertaler Weisenbläser, a traditional brass band from the Zillertal valley. Propst Jakob Bürgler will accompany the music with Christmas stories. The Astenwalds witnessed the program’s impact during a visit to a follow-up care camp where children engaged in activities like canoeing, theatre, and painting.
The concert provides funding for individual counseling that helps young cancer survivors navigate education, careers, and independence, while also addressing potential long-term effects of treatment. All participation is free for the young people because of donations. Even during the pandemic, when the concert was canceled, the Astenwalds continued to raise funds for affected families.
