It is with deep sadness that I announce to you the death of our colleague and friend prof. Michael Leichsenring, from the University of Ulm: a great pediatrician who has spent his life serving children’s health internationally.

A leader who put into practice what many people only keep talking about“, in the words of our friend Tobias Wovra, to whom we are particularly close in this moment of sorrow.

We met in 2015 at a pediatric congress in Tashkent, and from that meeting the idea of the ChildCA project was born. Prof. Leichsenring closely supported the project in all its phases, until a long illness forced him to reduce his tireless international activity. Nevertheless, we all had the pleasure of sharing with him the unforgettable experience of Bukhara meeting in October 2019, just before the pandemic.

Without Michael we would not be here today, working together for the sake of Central Asia children: let us continue our common work with even greater commitment, now also as a dutiful tribute to our friend and his great ideals.

May Michael rest in peace after an entire life spent serving sick children.

Gian Battista Parigi
ChildCA project coordinator