- What: Information day on rare diseases
- When: Saturday, February 28, 2026, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Where: StadtLab am Markt, Jena
- Organizer: Zentrum für Seltene Erkrankungen at the Universitätsklinikum Jena (UKJ)
- Extras: Creative childcare on-site
Jena, February 23, 2026 – When medical symptoms remain a mystery and a clear diagnosis takes years to emerge, many patients begin a grueling ordeal. To provide information, orientation, and support, the Universitätsklinikum Jena (UKJ) is hosting a comprehensive information day on the occasion of International Rare Disease Day this coming Saturday, February 28, 2026. The event will take place at the centrally located StadtLab directly on the Jenaer Marktplatz.
Expert Knowledge and Direct Exchange
From 10 AM to 3 PM, the StadtLab will be transformed into an open forum for medicine and self-help. The Zentrum für Seltene Erkrankungen of the UKJ will provide detailed information on the often complex paths to the correct diagnosis and suitable treatment concepts. In special discussion rounds and at various information stands, medical experts will provide deep insights into modern diagnostic procedures and current therapies. A special focus will also be placed on the numerous support services designed to facilitate the daily lives of patients.
In addition to clinical experts, various self-help and counseling centers will present their essential work. Participation is designed to be particularly easy for families: while adults can gather information and exchange ideas in peace, professional creative childcare will be offered in parallel for the youngest visitors. This is intended to give those affected and their relatives sufficient space for personal questions in a relaxed atmosphere.
The University Hospital as a Supra-regional Anchor
In medicine, a disease is considered rare if no more than five out of 10,000 people are affected by it. Although individual diseases are rare, in their entirety, the estimated ,6000 to 8,000 known rare diseases affect around four million people in Germany alone. General practitioner practices understandably often reach their limits with these frequently very specific and complex clinical pictures.
This is exactly where the Universitätsklinikum Jena steps in. As the largest tertiary care provider in the state, the UKJ operates the only specialized Zentrum für Seltene Erkrankungen in all of Thüringen. The specialists there pool interdisciplinary expertise from a wide variety of medical fields. Their primary goal is to help patients, who have often endured a years-long medical odyssey, reach a confirmed diagnosis and optimally coordinated therapy more quickly.
The StadtLab as an Ideal Place for Encounters
The choice of venue is no coincidence. The StadtLab at the historic Marktplatz in the heart of Jena has established itself in the recent past as an important hub for civil society exchange. Surrounded by historic buildings and excellently connected to public transport, the location significantly lowers the threshold for interested parties. Instead of having to travel to a high-tech clinical environment, citizens can easily enter into a dialogue with top-tier medicine here in the middle of urban life.
Conclusion and Outlook: Help That Reaches People
The information day on February 28 is an important step in raising public awareness of the issue of rare diseases. It offers those affected not only tangible medical orientation but also the valuable realization that they are not alone with their concerns. Through the close networking of expert knowledge and local self-help, a strong medical network is being created in Jena that provides sustainable support for patients.
We wish all visitors insightful conversations, new contacts, and valuable findings for their individual health journey this coming Saturday.
Source:
Info Day on Rare Diseases at StadtLab
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.