12/1/2022

Aachen, Germany, December 01, 2022 – 2012 marked the launch of the Grünenthal Foundation for the Support of Thalidomide-Affected People. It aims to improve quality of life for people harmed by Thalidomide and it is committed to supporting the holistic inclusion of Thalidomide-affected people within society. The Foundation is the successor to a previous organisation that was established to support cases of hardship after a Thalidomide-affected person contacted Grünenthal with a request for help with purchasing a second wheelchair.

A lot has happened since then. Many Thalidomide-affected people have received support from the Foundation. In addition, the relationship between Grünenthal and the people affected by Thalidomide has seen significant changes. Altogether, those developments have led to positive progress that is reflected in the self-image of the Foundation's employees.

“For me, working at the Grünenthal Foundation is highly meaningful and has taught me a lot of humility,” says Tom Hermes, a member of the Foundation's team. “To accompany affected people and develop projects with them over many years gives me a positive outlook for the future.”

Since 2012, the Grünenthal Foundation has supported around 3,500 people affected by Thalidomide. Financial resources from the Foundation have helped to convert 360 kitchens and 350 bathrooms to make life easier for Thalidomide-affected people. Around 500 vehicles have been modified to support the mobility of affected people alongside projects such as leveraging voice control technology or providing assistance during travel.

This support is particularly valuable for affected people because social services and the German Federal Contergan Foundation do not cover adaptations to living environments or measures to maintain individual and independent mobility.

Initially, the relationship between the Foundation and affected people was characterised by caution and scepticism. However, that relationship has grown closer and more trusting. Today, the Foundation is actively discussing possible further projects with representatives of affected people. These projects primarily deal with challenges related to the advancing age of Thalidomide-affected people.

Grünenthal’s team learns valuable insights from the Foundation’s work. “Through our commitment to the Foundation, we have gained a lot of knowledge that we would like to pass on to affected people – and to patients in similar circumstances. At the same time, we encourage and empower others to share and preserve their knowledge about Thalidomide and its effects. We will continue this work with the same level of commitment in the future,” says Fabia Kehren, Spokeswoman of the Grünenthal Foundation.

About the Grünenthal Foundation for the Support of Thalidomide-affected people
(Grünenthal-Stiftung zur Unterstützung von Thalidomidbetroffenen)
The Grünenthal Foundation was established at the beginning of 2012 and thus integrated Grünenthal's initiative for hardship cases, which has been in place since 2011. Their task is to improve the quality of life of people harmed by Thalidomide. Personal communication with those affected is the key to the success of the foundation. The team takes time to get to know the needs of each individual. In this way, it can offer support services that start where they make a real difference in the lives of those affected. The focus is on help that makes life in one's own home easier, promotes contact with other people or aids in practicing a profession. To date, the Grünenthal Foundation has supported more than 780 victims in almost 3,500 causes. In addition, she has carried out various nationwide and international projects.

For more information, see www.grunenthal-stiftung.com.

• Grünenthal Foundation 10 years of support (pdf, 601.8 KB)
• Chronology of Support for Thalidomide affected people (pdf, 1499.7 KB)