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Inter\u00adna\u00adtional Gath\u00ader\u00ading for People Affected by Contergan\/Thalidomide<\/span><\/p><\/h1><\/div> Vom 26. Okto\u00adber bis zum 2. Novem\u00adber 2026 findet in Egmond aan Zee das inter\u00adna\u00adtionale Begeg\u00adnungs\u00adfest \u201eEgmond Circle\u201c statt. Erwartet werden rund 300 G\u00e4ste aus verschiede\u00adnen L\u00e4ndern. Vortr\u00e4ge und Prax\u00adis\u00adwork\u00adshops greifen Themen auf wie Gesund\u00adheit und \u00c4lter\u00adw\u00ader\u00adden, medi\u00adzinis\u00adche Bedarfe, Hilf\u00ads\u00admit\u00adtel, Assis\u00adtenz, barri\u00adere\u00adfreies Wohnen und Mobil\u00adit\u00e4t. Beglei\u00adt\u00adend bietet die Woche zahlre\u00adiche Gele\u00adgen\u00adheiten f\u00fcr Kunst, Kultur und inter\u00adna\u00adtionalen Austausch.<\/p>\n \u201eEgmond Circle\u201c bringt Menschen mit Contergan-\/Thalidomid\u00adsch\u00e4digung, ihre Ange\u00adh\u00f6ri\u00adgen sowie Wissen\u00adschaftler*innen und Unterst\u00fctzer*innen zusam\u00admen. Eine Woche lang geht es um Fragen des Lebens mit Contergan-\/Thalidomid\u00adsch\u00e4digung im Alter \u2013 im fach\u00adlichen Austausch ebenso wie in pers\u00f6n\u00adlichen Begegnungen.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Event: Date: Loca\u00adtion: Partic\u00adi\u00adpants: Topics: Languages and Acces\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adity:<\/strong> Orga\u00adnizer: \u201cEgmond Circle\u201d combines expert infor\u00adma\u00adtion, prac\u00adti\u00adcal discus\u00adsion, and personal inter\u00adac\u00adtion. The focus is on topics that are partic\u00adu\u00adlarly impor\u00adtant for many people with thalidomide-related disabil\u00adi\u00adties today: <\/p>\n Health and Aging Aids and every\u00adday life Assis\u00adtance and Care Acces\u00adsi\u00adble Living Mobil\u00adity and Vehi\u00adcle Modi\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adtions Art, Culture, and Connec\u00adtion Since child\u00adhood, people with thalidomide-related disabil\u00adi\u00adties have learned to compen\u00adsate for their phys\u00adi\u00adcal limi\u00adta\u00adtions through strength, move\u00adment patterns and assis\u00adtive devices. However, what has enabled them to live inde\u00adpen\u00addently for decades can often present new chal\u00adlenges in old age. Constant overuse of certain body parts can lead to increased pain, signs of wear and tear, fatigue, and psycho\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal stress <\/p>\n While the focus in the past was primar\u00adily on inte\u00adgra\u00adtion and partic\u00adi\u00adpa\u00adtion, issues related to aging are now increas\u00adingly taking center stage for people with thalidomide-related disabil\u00adi\u00adties. \u201cEgmond Circle\u201d provides a forum for ques\u00adtions that concern people with thalidomide-related disabil\u00adi\u00adties and their fami\u00adlies today: What medical care is needed? Which assis\u00adtive devices make daily life easier? How can assis\u00adtance, mobil\u00adity, hous\u00ading, and care be orga\u00adnized in a way that preserves self-determination? <\/p>\n The inter\u00adna\u00adtional dimen\u00adsion of the thalido\u00admide history is also a topic of discus\u00adsion at the \u201cEgmond Circle.\u201d The living situ\u00ada\u00adtions of those affected still vary greatly today, depend\u00ading on recog\u00adni\u00adtion proce\u00addures, health\u00adcare systems, medical infra\u00adstruc\u00adture, access to assis\u00adtive devices and soci\u00adetal percep\u00adtions. Inter\u00adna\u00adtional exchange enables knowl\u00adedge to be shared, expe\u00adri\u00adences to be high\u00adlighted, and common concerns to be articulated. <\/p>\n In addi\u00adtion, \u201cEgmond Circle\u201d is also an inter\u00adna\u00adtional gath\u00ader\u00ading where people can make new friends and recon\u00adnect with old ones, featur\u00ading a support\u00ading program of art and culture as well as shared recre\u00adational activ\u00adi\u00adties. Beyond shar\u00ading knowl\u00adedge and offer\u00ading guid\u00adance, the event is about remem\u00adbrance and recog\u00adni\u00adtion, strength\u00aden\u00ading soli\u00addar\u00adity, offer\u00ading encour\u00adage\u00adment, and \u2013 last but not least \u2013 cele\u00adbrat\u00ading the joy of life. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> To enable as many people as possi\u00adble to partic\u00adi\u00adpate, acces\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adity and linguis\u00adtic acces\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adity are key require\u00adments for \u201cEgmond Circle.\u201d<\/p>\n Plans include, among other things:<\/p>\n Special needs are also taken into account when it comes to lodg\u00ading, travel, and the stay.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Please direct inter\u00adview requests to the press contact.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Conter\u00adgan was a sleep aid and seda\u00adtive manu\u00adfac\u00adtured by Gr\u00fcnen\u00adthal that contained the active ingre\u00addi\u00adent thalido\u00admide. It was launched in the Federal Repub\u00adlic of Germany in Octo\u00adber 1957 as an over-the-counter medica\u00adtion and was taken as a \u201cmira\u00adcle pill\u201d for condi\u00adtions such as insom\u00adnia, anxi\u00adety, and morn\u00ading sick\u00adness, among others. At the time, adver\u00adtise\u00adments portrayed the drug as partic\u00adu\u00adlarly well-tolerated and safe. <\/p>\n Medica\u00adtions contain\u00ading thalido\u00admide were marketed inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adally under vari\u00adous brand names, includ\u00ading \u201cSoftenon,\u201d \u201cDistaval,\u201d and \u201cKevadon.\u201d In the U.S., however, Kevadon was not offi\u00adcially approved. In addi\u00adtion, some coun\u00adtries had thalidomide-containing prepa\u00adra\u00adtions that were not marketed by Gr\u00fcnen\u00adthal or its licens\u00ading and distri\u00adb\u00adu\u00adtion part\u00adners. In Brazil, thalido\u00admide was later used in partic\u00adu\u00adlar to treat the after\u00adef\u00adfects of leprosy. <\/p>\n If women took thalido\u00admide during preg\u00adnancy, the active ingre\u00addi\u00adent could cause severe birth defects in the unborn child. Depend\u00ading on when during preg\u00adnancy the drug was taken, the arms and legs were often severely short\u00adened. Damage could also affect the ears, eyes, inter\u00adnal organs and other parts of the body. <\/p>\n On Novem\u00adber 27, 1961, Gr\u00fcnen\u00adthal with\u00addrew Conter\u00adgan from the market in Germany. World\u00adwide, the number of people with thalidomide-related disabil\u00adi\u00adties is esti\u00admated at about 10,000; in Germany, the figure is around 5,000. More than 2,000 people affected by the drug live in Germany today. <\/p>\n The Conter\u00adgan scan\u00addal had far-reaching conse\u00adquences for phar\u00adma\u00adceu\u00adti\u00adcal law. Follow\u00ading the disas\u00adter, the require\u00adments for the test\u00ading, approval, and safety of medica\u00adtions were signif\u00adi\u00adcantly tight\u00adened. At the same time, the scan\u00addal contin\u00adues to shape the debate to this day regard\u00ading respon\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adity, compen\u00adsa\u00adtion, care, and self-determination for people with thalidomide-related disabilities. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>\u201cEgmond Circle\u201d at a Glance<\/span><\/a><\/h2><\/div>
<\/strong>Egmond Circle \u2013 Contergan\/Thalidomide
Remem\u00adber. Under\u00adstand. Think Ahead. <\/p>\n
<\/strong>From Octo\u00adber 26 to Novem\u00adber 2, 2026<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Hotel Zuider\u00adduin, Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands<\/p>\n
<\/strong>About 300 guests from many countries<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Health and Aging, Medical Needs, Assis\u00adtive Devices, Personal Assis\u00adtance, Acces\u00adsi\u00adble Hous\u00ading, Mobil\u00adity, as well as Art, Culture, and Inter\u00adna\u00adtional Exchange<\/p>\n
The confer\u00adence language is German. Simul\u00adta\u00adne\u00adous inter\u00adpre\u00adta\u00adtion into English and Portuguese, as well as writ\u00adten and sign language inter\u00adpre\u00adta\u00adtion, will be provided. <\/p>\n
<\/strong>Asso\u00adci\u00ada\u00adtion of Thalido\u00admide Victims North Rhine-Westphalia e.V. (Inter\u00adessen\u00adver\u00adband Conter\u00adgangesch\u00e4di\u00adger Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V.) \u2013 Aid Orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion for Those Affected by Prena\u00adtal Damage<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>Topics from \u201cEgmond Circle\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/h2><\/div>
<\/strong>How do phys\u00adi\u00adcal demands change as we age? What medical ques\u00adtions arise? What kind of care is needed? <\/p>\n
<\/strong>Which assis\u00adtive devices make every\u00adday life easier? What solu\u00adtions have those affected come up with them\u00adselves? What support is needed regard\u00ading bath\u00adrooms, beds, mobil\u00adity or communication? <\/p>\n
<\/strong>How can support be orga\u00adnized with\u00adout losing one\u2019s auton\u00adomy? What expe\u00adri\u00adences have there been with personal assis\u00adtance, supple\u00admen\u00adtal care, and inter\u00adna\u00adtional care systems? <\/p>\n
<\/strong>What are the require\u00adments for apart\u00adments, bath\u00adrooms, doors, path\u00adways, and fixtures? Which modi\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adtions become partic\u00adu\u00adlarly impor\u00adtant as we age? <\/p>\n
<\/strong>How can mobil\u00adity be main\u00adtained? What tech\u00adni\u00adcal solu\u00adtions are avail\u00adable? What expe\u00adri\u00adences do those affected have with vehi\u00adcle modi\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adtions and acces\u00adsi\u00adble routes? <\/p>\n
<\/strong>\u201cEgmond Circle\u201d is not just a profes\u00adsional event, but also a cele\u00adbra\u00adtion of connec\u00adtion. Art, culture, leisure, and shared expe\u00adri\u00adences create oppor\u00adtu\u00adni\u00adties for conver\u00adsa\u00adtion, reunions, and new connections. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>Why \u201cEgmond Circle\u201d?<\/span><\/a><\/h2><\/div>
Issues Related to Aging<\/h3>\n
International Dimension<\/h3>\n
Exchange and Interaction<\/h3>\n
<\/i><\/i><\/span>Accessibility and Multilingualism<\/span><\/a><\/h2><\/div>
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<\/i><\/i><\/span>Interview Requests<\/span><\/a><\/h2><\/div>
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<\/i><\/i><\/span>Background: What is Contergan\/Thalidomide?<\/span><\/a><\/h2><\/div>
Global Distribution of Thalidomide<\/h3>\n
Consequences of Use During Pregnancy<\/h3>\n
Impact on Politics and Society<\/h3>\n