Together for Epilepsy Awareness: Charity Event in Bonn

© Fotostudio Balsereit

On Friday, March 13, 2026, members of our team from the Translational Neuroimaging Lab participated in a charity event at the Rüngsdorfer Kulturbad in Bonn dedicated to raising awareness for epilepsy and supporting global epilepsy research initiatives.

The event was organized in memory of German YouTuber Jan Zimmermann (“Gewitter im Kopf”), who passed away in November 2025 following an epileptic seizure at the age of 27. The event aimed to turn the public attention surrounding his death into support for research and patient care.

During the event Theodor Rüber, gave a talk about epilepsy and the global challenges associated with the disease. While epilepsy can often be diagnosed and treated effectively in high-income countries, many people with epilepsy, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, still lack access to adequate diagnosis and treatment.

In this context, he presented the Global Epileptology initiative, an interdisciplinary research project that aims to reduce the worldwide treatment gap. The project studies epilepsy across different populations, strengthens international collaborations and works towards scalable approaches for diagnosis and care. A particular focus lies on improving access to epilepsy care in regions, where limited resources mean that many people with epilepsy remain untreated.

The evening provided an opportunity to collect donations in support of the Global Epileptology initiative and its efforts to improve epilepsy care worldwide.

We are grateful to everyone who contributed and helped bring attention to this important cause.

If you would like to support the Global Epileptology project, donations are still welcome.More information on how to contribute can be found here: https://www.global-epileptology.com/donations