The Executive Board met regularly in online meetings.
Active exchanges between our members in our Signal exchange group, in which 135 of our 170 members currently supported each other in a safe space away from social media.
We have created an overview of which medications can be used and what side effects they have that could impact on aniridia patients. For example, which medications can be safely given for colds or stomach illnesses if the patient has glaucoma. The final overview is currently being revised by our specialists.
The Comic booklet for children, developed by the COST Action Aniridia-Net funded by the EU, has been adapted in German language, printed and sent free of charge to our members who have registered for it.
The WAGR website was updated, including the report from the WAGR Weekend in Belgium, where Kirstin Henneberger, one of our contact persons for WAGR, was on site.
We actively recruited members for the COST survey on the quality of life of aniridia patients.
Our Christmas fundraising campaign via social media raised 2,500.00 euros.
A book of memories was created for our medical advisor Prof. Käsmann-Kellner, who is seriously ill. Patients sent personal messages and pictures, which we compiled in a book for her. She was very happy about it and perhaps it will help a little with her recovery.
A conference for the patients of our association took take place in Lichtenfels in September 2024, with presentations by our aniridia specialists from Homburg and Halle and the opportunity for patients to directly talk to them.
There was a direct exchange with our specialists about dry eye care, specifically about which medications are proven to be successful. Information was bundled to present it to the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians so that it can be covered by health insurance. This has already been a successful approach with Hylo-Gel.
For the European Aniridia Conference in Stockholm our association donated an amount of 10,000.00 euros as support from our country. Research is the most important thing, and this must be supported financially.
A German delegation attended the 7th EAC in Stockholm and did the reporting for members.
Denice Toews
1st Chairwoman of the AWS Aniridie Wagr e.V.