From life with spinal cord injury, ALS, MS, or Parkinson’s
Encounters at the Rückenwind plus ward in Bad Zurzach

Peter Lude | Thomas Gröbly | René Rohr

Verlag volleshaus – www.volleshaus.ch – Baden April 2026

ISBN 978-3-03881-015-5
130 pages with 23 portraits b/w and color, CHF/EURO 35.–

Available in any bookstore or directly from Rückenwind plus

Life with spinal cord injury, ALS, MS, or Parkinson’s is a hard fate for everyone: for those directly affected, because they have to live with it. For family caregivers, because they are often there for the ill person around the clock. And for nursing professionals, because their work, while beneficial to the sick, can rarely bring about improvements. “Hard Fate” tells of encounters from the Rückenwind plus ward. These are encouraging reports about humor, gratitude, and personal growth in seemingly hopeless situations.

The encounters took place at the Rückenwind plus ward in Bad Zurzach. There, specialists care for these individuals when emergency situations need to be bridged or family caregivers need relief. Rückenwind plus is the first institution in Switzerland to combine highly specialized care with medical services without being a high-priced specialized clinic.

In addition to René Rohr’s portraits, “Hard Fate” includes a foreword by Councillor of States Marianne Binder-Keller, a text by Peter Lude on the dramatic care gap, and ethical considerations by Thomas Gröbly. Sick people and their relatives need a caring and sustainable healthcare system – the imperative of the hour.