"A crime
victim on her way to recovery"
"We can help you."
These were the opening words of an international campaign for a victim
of a crime, Dagmar L. from Teplice, Czech Republic.
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It all began with
an ordinary conversation. A young woman intended to start working at a
rehabilitation centre in Berlin in September 2000. She told her boyfriend
about her plans. The conversation got out of hand and resulted in an offender
and a victim.
Dagmar L. was left lying in her flat in a pool of blood, unconscious,
with severe injuries to her head and body.
She spent more than a month in a coma in intensive care of a Berlin hospital.
Afterwards she was treated at a neurological unit in a hospital in Teplice
and several other specialised Czech clinics and rehabilitation centres.
At the final meeting the doctors simply told her mother that she couldn’t
expect any further treatment options. Dagmar L. was discharged as a physical
wreck, without the ability to remember things, almost speechless, dependent
on a specially designed bed, a wheelchair and her mother’s dedicated
care.
In 2004 Dagmar’s case came to the attention of the Thuringia-based
company "IMF- Reha GmbH", which specialises in the therapeutic
treatment of paralysed limbs as a result of accidents, infarcts, brain
damage in early childhood and Multiple Sclerosis. A free check-up showed
that treatment and improvements could be possible.
Sadly, Dagmar’s financial situation meant she couldn’t afford
the suggested treatment.
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She needed help and help was given.
After a telephone conversation with the therapist, Mr Reichenbächer,
and a meeting with Ms Neumann from the organisation Weißer Ring
in the German city of Gera it was obvious that Dagmar needed comprehensive
and extensive help. Ms Neumann and the manager of the Gera branch, Mr
Peer Schneider, took on the case and in December 2004 were able to bring
Dagmar L. the happy news of an immediate help initiative:
"The costs for your therapy will be pre-financed by the Weißer
Ring".
The comprehensive treatment, in which Dagmar’s mother was the
most important person, began shortly afterwards. Again and again, up
to four times a day for half an hour each she had encourage her daughter
to just imagine a movement with the paralysed limb. The small nerve
signals transmitted through this were amplified with the help of the
therapeutic device. This triggered a contraction of the muscle and the
brain began receiving feedback. Thus new nerve connections were being
created and the muscle function regained. Of course this was a long
process. |
After check-ups
in February/March 2005 when the therapy was extended from the body to
arms and legs it became clear that there had been a general improvement
in Dagmar’s overall condition.
Dagmar L. was able to sit in an upright position again. |
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First steps
with the “Rollator” - a great sense of achievement! |
She received further
help from the Czech branch of the Weißer Ring in Prague, after Mr
Schneider contacted them. Dagmar L. received visits from their delegates
and was granted financial support. The Weißer Ring also contacted
the regional authorities for Health and Social Matters in Berlin.
Ms Marion Holder’s continuous hard work on complicated translations
of medical certificates and documentation ensured that Dagmar L. never
lost her patience during the whole process. Eventually she was able to
tell Dagmar that she would receive a one-off payment from the maintenance
council.
With this money she was able to pay back the initial money provided by
the Weißer Ring, which in turn can be used to support other victims
of crime. Now, in October 2005, we can see wonderful partial results:
Dagmar has made her first steps with the help of the “Rollator”,
she is able to speak in a comprehensible way, is learning to write, can
sit upright without any help and is able to wash and dress herself.
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