Angelina Schirmer – That’s how she rolls

Inclusion requires structures, not just good intentions

Real inclusion shows up in concrete situations and everyday encounters – and in whether everyone is considered or not. That is exactly what Angelina Schirmer engages with, making visible what is so often overlooked. Alongside navigating everyday life with chronic conditions, she advocates for structural change, including through her passion project, an inclusively designed fitness studio. In the REHACARE eMag, she talks about mindset, responsibility, and what it takes for inclusion to become a given.

Angelina Schirmer sits on her rollator and looks over her shoulder toward the camera

Name: Angelina Schirmer
Age: 33
City: Herne, Germany
Profession: Architectural draftsperson, construction management, inclusion advocate

I live with chronic conditions and invisible disabilities.

What makes a good day for you?

A good day, for me, is when I’m not just functioning, but actually present – when I can laugh without constantly doing the mental math, and when beautiful moments don’t slip away immediately but are allowed to linger. Not perfect, not symptom-free – but honest, calm, and alive.

The biggest challenge of my life was without question the year 2024 – a year marked by pain, loss, and a body that suddenly stopped cooperating.

It was meant to be a happy year: my husband and I were planning to get married in May. But even getting there felt like an obstacle course.

I had emergency surgery, serious complications, and had to relearn how to walk. And still, I kept fighting – day after day.

Not because I was always strong, but because giving up was never an option. That year left its mark – and showed me how much resilience and life I carry within me.

Angelina Schirmer sitting in her wheelchair and smiling at the camera

Mobility, for Angelina Schirmer, means being able to act and make choices. © private

Which assistive devices are essential for you in everyday life – and why?

In my daily life, there are several assistive devices I simply couldn’t do without – things that might not even be recognized as such at first glance, but that safeguard my quality of life every single day. These include medical aids like compression stockings, my rollator, my wheelchair, and my e-motion duodrive. Without them, movement would often be too exhausting or even risky.

Just as important to me are emotional supports: my husband, who supports me, motivates me, and accompanies me with humor – even on days when everything feels heavy. And finally, my smartphone: inconspicuous, but essential for staying connected with the people closest to my heart, who unfortunately live far away.

All of these supports – material and emotional alike – are bridges into my everyday life. They enable me to remain present, connected, and able to act, despite my limitations.

What do you wish for from society and from those around you in their interactions with people with disabilities?

I wish for genuine participation and lived inclusion – not as nice-sounding buzzwords, but as a mindset. A way of being together that listens first, instead of judging. An understanding that disability comes in many forms, is not always visible, and does not feel the same every day.

Less pity, more respect. Fewer expectations to "function anyway", and a greater willingness to change structures so that everyone can belong. This is not about special treatment, but about meeting on equal footing, with patience – and with the shared understanding that every person is part of this society.

Inclusion is our right!

KraftRaum Inklusive – a place for real inclusion

Angelina Schirmer sits cross-legged on the floor and looks past the camera out of a window

"I want to create spaces where no one has to explain why they belong – and where inclusion is taken for granted." © private

KraftRaum Inklusive, an inclusively designed fitness studio, is more than a gym to me. It is a space where people with chronic conditions and disabilities can be visible, be heard, and feel supported. A place where barriers disappear – not only those made of steel and concrete, but also those in people’s minds.

For me, inclusive sports offerings mean that every movement counts and every step forward is recognized – without fear of stigma or curious stares. It’s about enabling self-determination, safely exploring limits, and feeling comfortable in an environment grounded in respect and understanding.

At the same time, KraftRaum Inklusive is meant to be a learning space for society. People without disabilities encounter different bodies, abilities, and needs here – and experience empathy and appreciation through direct interaction.

Regular physical activity is more than training: it can ease pain, strengthen body and mind, support mobility, and build confidence. These are all essential foundations for a self-determined life in which people are not pushed to the margins, but are fully part of society.

The vision is clear: a studio designed to be inclusive from the very beginning – with equipment usable by different bodies, professionally trained coaches, and spaces where no one has to improvise or compromise just to be able to work out.

KraftRaum Inklusive stands for dignity, freedom, and the conviction that inclusion is not a luxury, but a right. It is a step toward a society that consistently removes barriers and welcomes everyone – regardless of how a body looks, functions, or feels.

What does REHACARE mean to you?

For me, REHACARE is a space full of possibilities. A place for connection, exchange, and orientation – for people who already use assistive devices, as well as for those who are engaging with chronic illness, disability, or care for the first time.

The trade fair is also especially valuable for professionals, because it shows how people with disabilities actually experience their everyday lives. This is where knowledge, practice, and lived experience come together.

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us.

I’m currently working on my book and hope to publish it in the second quarter of 2026. The blurb opens with the question: What if life came with a package insert?

I hope this message is not only read, but truly felt – that people realize inclusion and accessibility are not abstract ideas, but shape how we live together every day.

This is not about being especially generous or kind. It’s about ensuring no one is excluded and no one has to keep fighting just to belong.

Inclusion starts in everyday life – in schools, public offices, transportation, workplaces, and our homes. Through small choices: listening, paying attention, changing structures.

Change rarely happens overnight. But we can begin – every day, in every encounter, by opening doors not only physically, but in our minds and hearts.

Inclusion is not a wish, it is a right. And rights don’t wait. "We already have a no – but a yes is possible."

Nadine Lormis smiles in to the camera; Copyright: Victoria Emanuel

Editor: Nadine Lormis | REHACARE eMag

Nadine Lormis has been writing about (digital) developments in the assistive technology sector, self-determined living and inclusion for over 15 years. As editorial director of the REHACARE eMag, she is closely networked with the community of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses – both professionally and personally.

Published on: February 11, 2026