Who is Who
Frank Hennemann is a senior healthcare executive and patient advocacy leader based in Zorneding, Bavaria. Living with a rare genetic condition since infancy has shaped his lifelong commitment to patient centered care. As Head of Patient Affairs and Advocacy at BreatheLabs and board member of Bronchiektasen e. V., he works to empower patients, strengthen support systems and drive meaningful improvements across healthcare.
A Life Shaped Early by Resilience
There are experiences that carve a path long before we understand their meaning. For Frank Hennemann, that moment came when he was six months old and diagnosed with alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, a rare genetic condition that would profoundly shape his outlook on life. Growing up with a disease that demanded constant awareness taught him to face uncertainty with determination and to see every challenge as an invitation to grow. While many might have retreated inward, Frank learned to translate personal struggle into deep empathy for others. This early foundation would eventually guide his future as a dedicated advocate and respected leader in healthcare.
From Personal Journey to Purpose Driven Leadership
Frank’s experiences as a lifelong patient became the compass for his professional work. He discovered early that patients do not only seek treatment. They seek understanding, partnership and clarity at a time when fear often speaks louder than information. His career reflects this belief. Today, as Head of Patient Affairs and Advocacy at BreatheLabs, he channels decades of lived experience to create solutions that center on humanity as much as they do on innovation.
His approach is rooted in a simple truth that guides much of his work. “Empathy is not a strategy. It is the starting point for real innovation.” This mindset shows up in every initiative he leads, whether shaping patient programs, developing recruitment strategies, supporting advisory boards or guiding teams toward a deeper appreciation of the patient experience.
Developing Patient Centered Systems
Across more than sixteen years in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, Frank has built a reputation for elevating patient needs to a strategic level. He has collaborated with pharmaceutical companies, digital health innovators, patient organizations, clinicians and research teams throughout Europe. His work includes the development of advisory boards, awareness campaigns and patient recruitment strategies that ensure individuals living with chronic or rare conditions have a meaningful role in shaping their own care pathways.
What sets Frank apart is his ability to bridge the worlds of industry and the patient community. He understands both perspectives and is able to translate complex structures into actions that support real people. As he often reminds colleagues, “The patient perspective is not a risk factor. It is a resource.”
Building Community Through Advocacy
While his executive roles reflect a strong professional foundation, Frank’s commitment extends beyond formal titles. His leadership in patient communities has been essential for creating spaces where individuals feel connected and understood. As a co founder and board member of Bronchiektasen e. V. Deutschland, he plays an important role in shaping the first national organization in the German speaking region focused on Bronchiektasen, PCD and Kartagener Syndrome. Through educational platforms, social media communities and upcoming digital tools, the organization provides a lifeline to patients who often navigate their conditions with limited support.
Frank’s previous leadership of self help groups for Alpha 1 patients and his experience on patient boards further strengthened his belief that community support is just as vital as medical care. These roles helped him refine his advocacy skills and broadened his understanding of the gaps patients face at every stage of their journey.
A Public Voice for Those Who Are Too Often Unheard
Beyond organizational leadership, Frank uses his platform to highlight issues that deeply affect vulnerable communities. Whether speaking about gaps in mental health services, challenges in child welfare, barriers in chronic care or the emotional realities of living with illness, his writing reflects urgency and compassion. He is known for addressing uncomfortable truths openly and with clarity. In his own words: “Some issues do not need polite silence. They need people who are willing to speak clearly when others look away.”
His work on social platforms often ignites conversations about structural failures and the need for systemic improvement. His words resonate because they come from lived experience and a genuine desire to drive change.
A Vision Grounded in Humanity and Innovation
Looking toward the future, Frank remains focused on developing systems that strengthen patient empowerment, elevate education and integrate patient insight into healthcare decision making. His goals include expanding digital support solutions, building stronger clinical networks and driving initiatives that place dignity, transparency and access at the center of care.
His leadership philosophy is guided by a consistent message. Healthcare organizations thrive when they listen to the people they serve. His vision is rooted in collaboration, understanding and the belief that every patient deserves to feel heard, supported and respected.
Editorial Note
Frank Hennemann’s journey is a powerful example of how lived experience can evolve into leadership that elevates an entire community. His work blends emotional intelligence with strategic insight and personal resilience with professional purpose. His story challenges leaders to create systems that honor the voices of the people who rely on them and inspires readers to see advocacy not as a role but as a responsibility.
