On February 7, 2025, ZNM – Zusammen Stark! e.V. was awarded the Berner Prize. This €10,000 award recognizes the outstanding work of the association over the past ten years: Supporting families with centronuclear myopathies (CNM), raising awareness of these rare diseases and promoting essential research to find a cure.

The festive event began with an impressive musical performance by Anita Sykrina on the bandura, who played “Ukrainian Christmas”. Dr. Olaf Henß, Chairman of the Foundation, welcomed the guests, followed by a greeting from Prof. Dr. Christian Grefkes-Hermann, who emphasized the importance of the association’s work.

Prof. Dr. Johann Böhm from the IGBMC in Strasbourg gave an inspiring laudatory speech. He emphasized the important role of the association in bringing families together, giving hope and advancing research into rare diseases. The speech by Natalia Becker, a mother of a child with CNM, was particularly moving as she described how the association gave her family guidance and a sense of community.

The event concluded with words of thanks from Dr. Holger Fischer, Chairman of ZNM – Zusammen Stark! e.V., who thanked the Berner Foundation, the association members and employee Judith Wartemburger for their commitment. The evening ended with another musical highlight: “Ukrainian Variation” by Konstantin Myaskov, played on the bandura.

The prize money was invested in the Family Conference 2024, which brought together families, researchers and experts to promote collaboration, learning and hope.

A big thank you to the Berner Foundation for this great support!

We are #TogetherStrong!

About the Bern Foundation

Established in 2003, the Dr. Wolfgang and Sigrid Berner Foundation supports sick, disabled, disadvantaged or otherwise needy children and young people. The aim is to provide them with targeted support on their educational path and to give them the best possible opportunities for a self-determined and fulfilling life through access to high-quality education. No one should be disadvantaged because of their disability.