“The more people with diabetes know about the interactions between diet, exercise, hormones, and stress, the better they can manage their blood sugar. Diabetes education programs teach a lot, but knowledge becomes outdated, and new questions always arise. Exchanging ideas and comparing experiences with one another has helped me many times,” says Frank Siebenmorgen. The Erkrath resident has been living with type 1 diabetes for nearly 20 years; two years ago, he took over as leader of the self-help group at the DDZ. Every third Wednesday of the month, the group meets at 6 p.m. at the DDZ (Auf’m Hennekamp 65, 40225 Düsseldorf) for expert presentations and personal discussions.
The group was founded in 1997 by Evelyn Bruns, who led it until the end of 2024. Since the first meeting, there have been more than 250 group gatherings.
“The group shows me that I’m not alone with my type 1 diabetes.”
For Susanne Möller, the reason for attending has changed over time. “The first time I came, it was because I was completely overwhelmed by my diabetes diagnosis. Now I come because I know that living with diabetes also means being able to make a positive difference in many ways through knowledge. The presentations and discussions with the experts provide me with important information that helps me a lot in my daily life and in particularly challenging situations. Personal contact with others living with diabetes reminds me time and again that I’m not alone in dealing with my diabetes.”
The DDZ has supported the group since its founding. “People living with diabetes can do a lot for their health through their lifestyle and significantly reduce the risk of complications. Sharing experiences with others provides guidance and motivation. That’s why we’re pleased to have been supporting the self-help group here at the DDZ for 25 years,” emphasizes Professor Michael Roden, Scientific Director and Spokesperson for the DDZ Executive Board, as well as Director of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology at the University Hospital Düsseldorf.
Topics that appeal to people with all types of diabetes
The group meets on the third Wednesday of every month in person at the DDZ. Each evening focuses on a topic related to diabetes, and an expert—such as a medical professional, diabetes counselor, or nutritionist from the Düsseldorf area—typically gives a presentation on that topic. Afterward, there is time for questions and one-on-one conversations. The topics are chosen to appeal to people with all types of diabetes as well as their family members. Every December, the group gets together for a Christmas dinner.
Location and time:
Every third Wednesday of the month, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
German Diabetes Center (DDZ), Auf’m Hennekamp 65, 40225 Düsseldorf
In exceptional cases, participation is also possible online.
Contact:
Frank Siebenmorgen
shg.diabetes.duesseldorf@gmail.com
Phone: 0211-90070060
Further Information on the program (in German)
Media contact:
German Diabetes Center (DDZ)
Press office
Susan Jörges
Auf‘m Hennekamp 65
40225 Düsseldorf
Phone: +49 (0)211 3382-450
pressestelle@ddz.de
The German Diabetes Center (DDZ) serves as the German reference center for diabetes. Its objective is to contribute to the improvement of prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes mellitus. At the same time, the research center aims at improving the epidemiological data situation in Germany. The DDZ coordinates the multicenter German Diabetes Study and is a point of contact for all players in the health sector. In addition, it prepares scientific information on diabetes mellitus and makes it available to the public. The DDZ is part of the Leibniz Association (Wissenschaftsgemeinschaft Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, WGL) and is a partner of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.). www.ddz.de/en
The German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) is a national association that brings together experts in the field of diabetes research and combines basic research, translational research, epidemiology and clinical applications. The aim is to develop novel strategies for personalized prevention and treatment of diabetes. Members are Helmholtz Munich – German Research Center for Environmental Health, the German Diabetes Center in Düsseldorf, the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbrücke, the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of Helmholtz Munich at the University Medical Center Carl Gustav Carus of the TU Dresden and the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of Helmholtz Munich at the Eberhard-Karls-University of Tuebingen together with associated partners at the Universities in Heidelberg, Cologne, Leipzig, Lübeck and Munich. www.dzd-ev.de/en
