Königs Wusterhausen: New opportunities for families with sick children!

Königs Wusterhausen: New opportunities for families with sick children!

mothers of seriously ill children from Königs Wusterhausen have come together to exchange their experiences and find support. Mandy Zurek, Sandra Heinz and Sylke Pollack came together during a cozy parent breakfast of the Kindergilfe e.V. A warm meeting with coffee and rolls, which not only makes it easier to exchange, but also shares the emotional load. "These moments are important so as not to sink into isolation," says Sandra Heinz, whose son Arthur suffers from spinal muscle atrophy (SMA).

Arthur is dependent on the wheelchair and carries a heart defibrillator. This serious illness, which represents a motoneurone disease, affects the nerve cells in the spinal cord and leads to an impairment of the muscle functions. "Arthur's level of development is about a two -year -old," reports Sandra Schreibed. Information about this disease can also be found on the [DGM] (https://www.dgm.org/muskeleitungen/spinale- Muskelatrophie-Sma), which shows how important timely diagnoses are. Since the newborn screening on SMA in October 2021, affected children can be treated earlier and more intensively.

support for affected families

The association Kinderhilfe e.V. has been committed to supporting families with cancer and seriously ill children for over 40 years. With a new location in Königs Wusterhausen, the association wants to look after families from Dahme-Spreewald and Teltow-Fläming even better. He currently looks after over 180 families and is urgently asking for reinforcements for the advice center. "We need more volunteer family companions who are trained to be able to offer support," explains Mandy Zurek.

various offers are provided, including art education grief offers and youth mourning groups. In particular, interested parties should not miss an information evening for the training of family attendants on July 22nd at 7 p.m. in Königs Wusterhausen to learn more about the possibilities of help for affected children and their relatives.

self -help groups as an important resource

What many parents report is the feeling of isolation they feel. The desire for more professional advice and an extended offer for fathers is great. Self -help groups can offer valuable support here. These groups consist of people who have experienced similar challenges and support each other. Information on such self-help groups can be found on rarely diskities. They promote mutual understanding and help to reduce fears.

"It is important that you don't feel alone and hear from others how they deal with similar situations," says Sylke Pollack. Such meetings can help develop new coping strategies and simply spend carefree time together.

The challenges that mothers of seriously ill children have to master are enormous. The association and the self -help groups are an important point of contact here to find community and support. Together they make yourself strong for better care and a better understanding of your children's needs.