Cambodia's King Sihanouk's daughter, who died of leukemia, was named "Scented flower" or Kantha Bopha - the name the former head of state gave to the children's hospital, which he founded in Phnom Penh in 1962.

Play the cello against sadness
The University of Zurich Hospital supported Kantha Bopha as its partner hospital, and this is how a young assistant medic found his way to South East Asia in 1974. But he had to flee Cambodia only a few months later as the Khmer Rouge, with the backing of China, invaded and established their bloody reign of terror. Subsequently, Beat Richner set up a pediatric practice in Zurich and at the same time began a successful career on the stage as Beatocello.
While Franz Hohler, his artistic alter ego who also plays the cello, appeared with lyrics that were critical of society, Beatocello's songs had a more cheerful effect. Beat Richner reflects: "At that time I was fighting against the dying of the mind the way others were fighting against the dying of the forests."

Relatik links

Website Beat Richner

Interview with Beat Richner (german only)

Only 52 collegues survived
From a distance he followed events in Cambodia, where Vietnamese communists replaced the Khmer Rouge in 1979. After an extended civil war had ended, the UN tried in 1991/92 to facilitate the transition back to normality. "I returned in 1991 as a tourist and was devastated", says Beat Richner. "The country was completely in ruins, even the Kantha Bopha children's hospital was destroyed. Of my more than 900 fellow doctors, only 52 had survived." Some of them recognized him, whereupon King Sihanouk asked if Richner would be willing to help in rebuilding. Beat Richner agreed and stuck to his word, even as it became apparent that the Swiss Federal Government was unable to provide the help it had promised initially (which it now again provides).
 
"A capitive of my conscience"
He is without a doubt a philanthropist and role model whom the Swiss television audience honored as "Swiss person of the year 2002". "No, I'm not a role-model", he responds. "I'm simply a captive of my conscience and - like so many of my colleagues in Switzerland - live up to my responsibility as a doctor: I work to alleviate my patient's suffering."
He openly admits that he doesn't know if he would have the strength to start again from the beginning. Fortunately he doesn't need to, and, with the support of companions such as Peter Studer, or Peter Rothenbühler in Switzerland, he was also never completely alone. Peter Rothenbühler launched a drive in the "Schweizer Illustrierte", to raise funds that continues to this day, for example through a benefit performance by Circus Knie on May 20. In September 1992 Beat Richner was able to reopen Kantha Bopha. This was followed by the openings of Kantha Bopha II in 1996 and Jayavarman VII in 1999, a clinic situated in Siem Reap in the north and named after an important Cambodian king who lived at the end of the 12th century.
 
Help for 3,5 million children
By now, approximately 3.5 million children have been treated as outpatients, and 220,000 received medical care in the hospitals. There is no need for additional hospitals - but those that have already been built are continuously being improved. For example, in 2001 a maternity ward for HIV infected women was set up in Siem Reap, a project that also received support from the Accentus Foundation.

As if the cello itself is speaking
"The Jayavarman VII clinic is right next to the world famous temples of Angkor Wat" explains Beat Richner. He performs there every Saturday in a Pagoda, which is a religious site. At the same time he also informs his audience of Cambodians and tourists about his foundation. Besides his own works he primarily plays Bach. "This is absolute music that contains all there is in life" says Richner. "The Cambodians react exactly the same as a Swiss audience. The cello is of course very similar to the human voice and the Bach Suites are like narratives. It's as if the cello itself is speaking."