Erika Trutmann also expressed interest in starting a support group in Switzerland. Contact names were shared with the group so that they could begin working together to create a structure that works. Before the group can begin to raise money for its own expenses or to support research, it will need to obtain official registration as a charity in each country. The German group has recently applied for charity status. Cologne Cathedral, March 1999 Joyce Graff said that the VHL Family Alliance would welcome an affiliate group in Germany, such as already exist in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Help is needed in bridging the language barrier.
Members who are bilingual and on the internet can assist with translating occasional correspondence between the English-speaking group and other language groups worldwide. Dr. Luitgard Neumann mentioned that there is a genetic disease registry at the Verein Mosaik-Medico in Berlin. It was suggested that a registry of people with VHL in Germany could be very informative for research. The French registry project has resulted in a number of very enlightening articles. E-mail addresses are listed on the VHL website under international contacts.