Author
Nicole Scherhag, as appeared in Alpha1 Journal 1/2024.
Twenty-five years ago, I no longer wanted to spend Christmas in prison... to work there.
After studying social pedagogy, I spent the first years of my career working in a correctional facility. My main focus there was on supporting convicted violent and sexual offenders. It was an exciting and challenging job, but over time it also took its toll. And so I gave up my civil service position and made a change to a completely new field.
Since 1999, I have worked in the healthcare sector, addressing the issues that arise alongside medical problems and can make life very difficult for sick people. My focus is on the psychological and social consequences of illness—the questions that particularly impact the daily lives of those affected and often become acute precisely when there are changes in the medical field, unfortunately often when there is a deterioration in the patient's condition. "How do I cope with the psychological burden?", "Can I continue working?", "How do I obtain a disability card?", "I'm so scared, what can I do?" These are examples of questions that people might bring to me.
My career in medicine began with the establishment of the first counseling center for people with chronic kidney disease and their families at the University Hospital of Mainz. I worked there for two years as an employee on a research project. Afterwards, I became self-employed. Now, improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses and providing holistic care for those affected are my professional priorities, which I pursue with great dedication and passion. Over the years, I have expanded my expertise to include other areas. Today, I work in the following fields: pulmonary diseases, nephrology, oncology, cardiology, lipidology, neuromuscular diseases, and rare diseases.
My goal is the continuous improvement of psychosocial care for chronically ill people. To this end, I offer a wide range of seminars, train patient advocates, write patient brochures, moderate events, and advise chronically ill individuals and their families. Furthermore, I provide continuing education for physicians and nurses on my topics to raise their awareness and equip them with extensive referral knowledge, enabling them to quickly connect patients with the appropriate services.
I am firmly convinced that the life expectancy and quality of life of chronically ill people and their families depend not only on medical care but also heavily on successful psychosocial coping with the illness. This means the extent to which those affected and their families manage to absorb and mitigate the financial, professional, emotional, and social consequences of the illness. These burdens are immense and particularly challenging. In my opinion, the most successful approach to coping is through organized self-help, and therefore I am delighted to have been appointed to your advisory board. I am happy to contribute my knowledge and creativity and look forward to working together.
In my private life, I'm married and the mother of a 21-year-old daughter who recently left home. I enjoy reading, traveling, being around people, and spending time in nature. Sport is a welcome way for me to unwind.
Since I particularly enjoy working with children, I volunteer as a reading tutor at a primary school. I practice with the children once a week – a very fun, enriching, and rewarding task.
