Bethel - The flour trickles quietly

Shooting star, Christmas tree and rocking horse - lots of baking tins are spread out on the table. A honey and sugar mixture with a hint of star anise and clove is steaming on the cooker. A Christmassy aroma fills the kitchen of the occupational therapy department at the Bethel Children's Centre. Leon goes through the recipe step by step. Although the 16-year-old is a passionate baker, he has never made gingerbread biscuits himself before. He receives active support from occupational therapist Svenja Alf. Baking helps the teenager forget about his illness.

 

Hands cut out biscuits with mould.
Biscuits are decorated.

At the beginning of November, Leon was admitted to hospital with severe headaches. The diagnosis of a brain tumour was a huge shock. "I thought it was a severe migraine attack," he recalls. He was immediately transferred to the Bethel Children's Centre. There, the intracranial pressure first had to be reduced before the doctors were able to remove the tumour in a second operation. A total of four operations were necessary. "I cried for a moment and then my will to survive kicked in!" says Leon. Before the operations, he and a carer cut his brown hair razor-short. "My head was only shaved in some places beforehand. It looked like a patchwork quilt," he says with a smile. After all, he didn't want to get a fright when he looked in the mirror after the anaesthetic.

Leon prepares the dough.
"I had a quick cry and then my will to survive kicked in!"
Leon
Svenja Alf helps Leon with the baking.

"The operations were only a month ago. It's amazing where Leon gets his strength from," says Svenja Alf appreciatively. The occupational therapy team has been working closely with the youngster over the past few weeks to distract him from his illness - whether with a game of "town, country, river", making Christmas baubles or baking biscuits. Leon routinely swings the whisk and whisks eggs. "Phew, that's exhausting," he gasps as he mixes the ingredients into a dough. The occupational therapist makes sure he doesn't overdo it. Kneading, rolling out and cutting - this trains the young patient's fine motor skills. And when the occupational therapist lets a little more trickle down from above, it's especially fun. "Mmm, that smells delicious," says a nurse, who curiously opens the kitchen door a crack. In the meantime, the wonderful aroma has also spread through the corridor. "But it'll take a little longer," Leon consoles her, looking into the oven. He wants to distribute the gingerbread biscuits to all the patients on the ward later.

Leon doesn't mind spending Advent in hospital at all. Even though he misses his family and friends at home very much. He will soon see them again, as he will be able to leave hospital before Christmas Eve. There are three things he is particularly looking forward to: giving his mum a big hug, cuddling with his cats and Christmas dinner. "I've asked for venison with potato dumplings - that's my absolute favourite meal," he says with shining eyes.

 

Text: Christina Heitkämper | Photos: Christian Weische

This story simply told

Leon had a brain tumour and was operated on at the Bethel Children's Centre. The 16-year-old is spending the Advent period in hospital. But he doesn't find this too bad, as the occupational therapy team distracts the youngster with games, handicrafts and baking. Baking biscuits helps Leon forget about his illness.

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    Children's Centre at EvKB / Gilead House I
    Burgsteig 13
    33617 Bielefeld

    0521 772-78050

    To the website of the centre

    To the annual donation project "New Bethel Children's Centre"

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    The Children's Centre at the Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel (EvKB) covers the entire spectrum for young patients aged 0 to 18 years. Whether illness or injury, acute or chronic, physical (somatic) or psychiatric - the EvKB offers the right individual treatment concept for all medical requirements with its outpatient, day-care and inpatient services.

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