(ffm) On Friday, May 24, around 85 Frankfurt self-help groups will present themselves at the 36th Self-Help Market at Römer and Römerberg from 11 am to 4 pm. The event has been held for more than 20 years by the Self-Help Contact Point Frankfurt in cooperation with the Health Department.
At 11 a.m., the Self-Help Market will be opened by City Council Chairman Stephan Siegler, Personnel and Health Department Head Stefan Majer, Birgit Pelc, Head of the Prevention Department at IKK classic, and the Managing Director of the Self-Help Association, Maren Kochbeck. "It's great to see so many citizens getting involved in health issues on such a day and in such a place. The Römer is the political and historical centre of Frankfurt and therefore the self-help groups fit very well here. Because self-help represents the interests of people in many difficult situations in life and thus formulates important tasks for society as a whole, especially for us politicians," emphasizes Stefan Majer.
"The market has a long tradition and there are always new and different topics that self-help brings out of the taboo area and into the consciousness of all of us. For example, 36 years ago, the topic of addiction was much more taboo. When parents of drug-addicted young adults organized themselves in self-help, they were able to influence drug policy permanently. Today, young people are also discovering self-help as a way to more autonomy and self-confidence - for example on the subject of gender identity. Even in the case of rare diseases, those affected and their relatives organise themselves and make demands," says Maren Kochbeck.
"The members of the self-help groups and initiatives have information available on many topics and diseases. Interested people can visit the groups, get insights into the self-help work and get information on topics that are otherwise difficult to find so well and so compressed. I would like to thank all those active in self-help for their outstanding commitment to better health and a self-determined life with illness in our city. Self-help is essential to ensure that as many people as possible are as well off as possible here in Frankfurt," says Majer.
The self-help community "die Fleckenbühler" provides the snacks and also proves that quality does not have to be expensive. The band "Eva's apple" accompanies the event musically and together with a stilt walker attracts passers-by to the Römer. "We are looking forward to many visitors. Take the opportunity to make contacts!", says Kochbeck.
The visit of the market is free of charge, it is open to all. For more information, call the Frankfurt Self-Help Contact Point at 069/559358, the Health Department at 069/212-36270 or visit http://www.selbsthilfe-frankfurt.neton the Internet.
The market is made possible by the financial support of the Health Department, the Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs, the GKV-Selbsthilfeförderung Hessen as well as within the framework of the project support of self-help by the IKK classic.
