Parents of affected children

“As a parent you are uncertain, desperate and helpless when your child is suffering and no one can explain to you where the pain is coming from. My daughter suffered for a long time from ever-worsening muscle and joint pain. Sometimes she was very desperate; the whole family felt helpless and exhausted from the many unsuccessful attempts at therapy. As a mother you naturally try everything to help your child. But over time the pain takes up more and more space and practically becomes a new family member. From my own experience I would have to say that the understanding of chronic pain as an independent illness having no single physical or psychological cause is insufficient in our health system, and that many diagnoses and therapy recommendations do not lead to recovery. The German Paediatric Pain Centre with its “Lighthouse” ward provides an important anchor in helping children and adolescents with chronic pain and their families regain normal, happy daily life. My daughter was also helped by the professional approach to multimodal pain therapy. She’s going to school and getting together with her friends again, and is leading a full, happy life. I’m happy to be able to act as parent representative on the advisory panel of the German Paediatric Pain Centre, and furthermore, I hope that many children will profit in the future from the great work of the centre.”

(Karin Schwartzenberger, mother of a former patient)