The association Auszeit für die Seele e.V. was founded in 2017 by the initiative of “Grandpa Hans” (Hans Böge, deceased in 2021) from Reher in SH and Annemarie Hunecke from Bönen in NRW. Grandpa Hans was suffering from tongue cancer at that time and decided to make it his life’s work to inform other people about the problems of poverty caused by cancer. Annemarie Hunecke’s husband died in 2004 at the age of 56 from blood cancer/ leukemia. Her father also died from cancer in 1991 at the age of 71.
Together the two of them rode bicycles from Kiel to Berlin to inform people about the project. A year later Grandpa Hans rode his bicycle alone from Kiel to Starnberg in Bavaria. On his way he Ga had appointments with mayors, district administrators and clinics to inform people from the region by giving a press conference. These “grandpa Hans” tours were under the patronage of the states social affairs minister from SH Dr. Heiner Garg. In 2019 they had change the campaign from bicycles to motorcycles. Under the term “benefit bikers” the association was still having tours. The activities of our association are currently under the patronage of Ms. Siemtje Möller from Willmund (Parliamentary state secretary at the federal department of Defence).
Purpose of the association
The purpose of the association is to help cancer patients spend a free vacation in a accommodation donated by a landlord. The projekt was first implemented on the north sea island of Langeoog with the support of their mayor. In 2018 the first landlords from the island were quickly found and donated their accommodations. These accommodations were quickly given to the patients who were meditated by hospitals and social workers. These patients were excluded from health insurance after 18 months and they only receive basic security or a small early pension. Some of them have had cancer for years and some of them have had several cancerous diseases. Over the time a database with more than 125 landlords in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Spain started to support the association. At the end of your vacation the cleaning company always comes and cleans the whole accommodation and needs to get paid. In health resorts visitors tax must be paid. All these costs are paid by the association which also pays the travel expenses for guests with serious reasons. In the health resort of Harlesiel on the North Sea the association has two of its own large caravans on the campsite of the spa administration which are equipped with “ Pott and Pann” so that families with children can go on a holiday there. The place is also provided free of charge by the Harlesiel spa administration. Patients who cannot travel by car or train because of health reasons will be driven to the holiday destination with the car they wish for in cooperation with the ASB.
Financing
The association receives financial resources from the German health insurance companies in accordance with the guidelines of the Social Security Code and also offers its own information on the subjects of chemotherapy and fatigue on the Internet. Around 1.600 Facebook users are registered on the online groups “Chemotherapie” (chemotherapy) and “Facebooker mit Krebs” (Facebooker with cancer) and use the information provided by the association. Some regional banks and traders also support the association of donations of money and goods. The Postbank Lottery finance the associations campsite project in 2021 with EUR 30.000. Among other things seven seater car was purchased so patients can be picked up and driven.
Benfit-biker-Triker-tours
Biker and triker help out to obtain fundings by doing “Benefit biker tours”. Socially committed tour guides lead the participants along beautiful routes so they can get an extraordinary group experience. The participants have to pay a start donation of EUR 20. The biker scene is outdated many of the 4.3 million registered machines are driven by seniors who have a lot of life experience and also includes experiences with cancer in your own environment. This also explains the high level of support shown by bikers with the “Klinik biker” project being well known among them. Large network has emerged from the associations presence on the Internet at www.Klinik-biker.info and on Facebook and Instagram. In the past tours with individual chapters of the blueknights and redknights were carried out. The association of Motorcycling Doctors in Germany also supports the association as do the Bikerunion, the Streetbunnys and many others. Before the corona pandemic the association had planned large demo tours nationwide with police registrations etc., e.g. 2021 in Hamburg with 500 machines but then unfortunately corona came so all the stores could not be realized so a smaller concept is now being implemented. Regional tours are in cooperation with clinics with e.g. 10 participants being sufficient. Press work is always important because of original article about a benefit by couture appears in the daily press the cancer patients living in a region will also read it and then have the chance to get a free vacation. 6% of the population of cancer and all these patients should be reached out through oue associations public relations work. The articles printed about the biker tours were also read by new landlords who then get in touch with the association and donate more accommodations. It is so easy to do good things as a landlord but also as a biker. Motorbike clubs, MCs and carpools who did plan tours anyway have the opportunity to expand their events with a very good special purpose through the cooperation with the association in this way the negative image that bikers often have in public can be counteracted. The association is currently planning a nationwide campaign for October 16, 2022. Ladies tours in cooperation with breast cancer centers are intended to draw attention to the associations offer. Bikers will then be give the association flyers to breast cancer centers. Those who are interested in working together also from Austria and Switzerland can send an email to vorstand@auszeitseele.de or call us 04464 – 8699473.
Information is available online at www.klinik-biker.info and www.auszeitseele.de
Auszeit für die Seele e.V
Pollerweg 2c
26409 Wittmund-Altfunnixsiel
Tel.: 04464 – 8699473
