Alone we may be strong, but together we are stronger - and this is precisely why the Burda bewegt (Burda drives change) initiative was launched in 2019.
Unusual at first glance, a stroke of luck at second. Why prevention is so close to Heidrun Thaiss’s heart and why she sometimes lets her inner couch potato have the upper hand - you’ll find out in the text.
Heidrun Thaiss is many things at once: an experienced physician, a scientist, a political networker and, as she herself says with a laugh, a 'hummingbird in the healthcare system.' In her new role as Chief Executive Officer of the Felix Burda Foundation, she brings not only professional expertise, but also a deep understanding of how health messages truly reach people. As former Director of the Federal Centre for Health Education, she made it her mission to communicate prevention in ways that are clear, target-group specific, and effective. Whether dealing with taboo topics, sensitive audiences, or complex content, she knows how to meet people where they are and motivate them to take action.
This is where a major overlap with the Felix Burda Foundation emerges: for Heidrun Thaiss, prevention is not merely a professional focus, but a true 'matter of the heart.'
'Prevention works, pays off, and can even be enjoyable,' she says in the interview - an attitude that has accompanied her for decades. It is therefore no surprise that she feels deeply connected to the foundation and its values, a bond that has grown over more than ten years and extends back to the founder herself, Christa Maar.
Her life philosophy is guided by a quote from Albert Einstein: 'The important thing is not to stop questioning.' For her, curiosity is not a character trait, but a tool and a driving force that motivates her not only to call for change in the healthcare system, but to actively shape it.
What opportunities does she see for the future? Above all, she regards the close connection to Burda Verlag as a strategic advantage: this is where medical expertise meets strong media reach - a combination that brings the topic of prevention to where it belongs: right into the heart of people’s everyday lives.
