News Archive

News Archive

‘Creating Community – Eye to Eye’

The v. Bodelschwingh Institute Bethel is the charity partner with SCC-RUNNING for the second year. Bethel , with its headquarters in Bielefeld , is the largest Protestant charity institution in Europe . Since 1867, Bethel has primarily been active in behalf of people with epilepsy and disabilities. The work of the v. Bodelschwingh Institute Bethel is presented within the framework of the events organised by SCC-RUNNING; a portion of the organisational fees goes to support the work for handicapped persons at Bethel. In addition, various activities are planned within the framework of the SCC-RUNNING events.

With the support of SCC-RUNNING, Bethel is currently gathering donations for an epilepsy project. A “movement and adventure garden” for people with epilepsy is to be created in the Protestant Königin Elisabeth Herzberge Hospital in Berlin , which belongs to Bethel . In the future, those with epilepsy will be able to use the garden to train their movement coordination and experience their environment through their senses. One can support the project by making a phone call from the German landline telephone network to 0900 1000 8600 200 – with each call a 4 Euro donation is given (plus a 0.14 € fee per call); donations are also possible on line at www.bethel.de or directly to the charity account number 4077 at the bank Sparkasse Bielefeld, bank code 480 501 61.

People with epilepsy often feel insecure due to the fact that their epileptic seizures often come unexpectedly. They are often unsure of what they are able to attempt and prefer to rather avoid participating in athletic or other leisure activities. In order to increase their levels of self-confidence, the Bethel Epilepsy Centre Berlin-Brandenburg is creating a “movement and adventure garden.” New worlds of experience will be opened here for people with epilepsy. They can experience their bodies and their perceptions in a new manner, and thus learn to live their lives in a more active manner with more self-assurance.

In Berlin, Bethel is involved with the Epilepsy Centre Berlin-Brandenburg, the Protestant Königin Elisabeth Herzberge Hospital, with a psychiatric unit for children and youth, as well as with the Community Psychiatric Association and Services for the Elderly. Just outside Berlin, Bethel also runs the social works institutions Hoffnungstaler Anstalten Lobetal.

Under the motto ‘Creating Community—Eye to Eye,’ SCC-RUNNING and the v. Bodelschwingh Institute Bethel are working together for more integration for people with disabilities or diseases.

Sport is a wonderful place for people with diverse abilities and different physical conditions to meet. Sport is especially important for people with physical or mental disabilities. Those who keep fit can live more independently and with self-determination. In Bethel there are thus numerous activities offered for both young and old, for those with disabilities and without. In order to develop new ideas on mobility for people with disabilities, Bethel also cooperates with the Humboldt University of Berlin.


The Bethel Foundation was founded in Bielefeld in 1867 as a Christian institution with an emphasis on therapy for epilepsy and assistance for those with disabilities. Bethel now has institutes and clinics, group homes, ambulatory care, nursing homes, educational training and counselling sites in six federal states in Germany. Their areas of work also include services for the elderly, assistance for people with brain damage following an accident or illness, activities for people with autism, psychiatric services, as well as hospitals, assistance for the homeless, and youth services.

Please help support the creation of the “movement and adventure garden” for people with epilepsy at the Königin Elisabeth Herzberge Hospital Berlin.

You can make you donation online at www.bethel.de

or directly to

Account: 4077

Sparkasse Bielefeld

Bank Code 48050161

Keyword: „Berlin“

Further information is available at: www.bethel.de