On April 4, 2026, our Awareness Matchday in cooperation with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim during the home match against FSV Mainz 05 took place.
The highlight of the day was the walk-out action: Oli Baumann walked onto the pitch carrying a pair of shoes instead of a child, to symbolize the absence of children who suffer from ME/CFS. In addition, both teams sent an emotional message before the match by holding up a banner reading “CURE ME/CFS.” Oli Baumann also wore a captain’s armband bearing the inscription “CURE ME/CFS” throughout the entire match. Besides, cup deposit donations were donated to the ME/CFS Research Foundation.
Even before the match, the club had drawn attention to the campaign in various ways: a stadium interview was conducted with Aiden from our team, both on the village square and inside the stadium. The club also published an awareness reel on Instagram and an article on its website. As with all our campaigns, we were present with a stand to talk with fans about us and our conditions.
We would like to thank all volunteers on site and TSG Hoffenheim for their great support before and during the campaign. A very special thank you goes to Grischa Prömel, who also raised awareness of the condition on TV.
