Leah Weigand (27) is many things: a medical student, trained healthcare professional and nurse, celebrated poetry slammer and Spiegel bestselling author. She brought all of this together during her appearance at the 2025 geriatric care trade fair in Nuremberg. Between readings, visits to the trade fair and discussions, Weigand showed herself to be an authentic mediator between nursing practice and social debate - and above all a person who connects people.
Leah Weigand, who grew up in a village in central Hesse as the child of two care workers, became known for her poetry slam text "Ungepflegt" (Unkempt), which went viral on the internet, was clicked millions of times and gets to the heart of the tension between vocation and burden in care. Her words gave a voice to those who are otherwise often overlooked. Her message was also clear at the trade fair in Nuremberg: more humanity is needed in care - and more visibility for those who bear responsibility on a daily basis.
Encounters and impressions at the trade fair
Before her appearance, Weigand mingled with the trade fair visitors herself and used the time to talk and meet people. "There was a lot going on, of course, but I met a few people with whom I am also connected via social media. Many of them are involved in similar topics. It was nice to finally meet them in person," she said. For her, the geriatric care trade fair is more than just a product show - rather a place for exchange, new ideas and mutual support.
She is ambivalent about the mood in the industry: "There are so many problems - the care shortage in particular is acute. At the same time, the topic often slips into the background in public perception. Care was hardly a topic in the election campaign, and I think that's fatal."
Connected with nursing - even as a medical student
Her words are also so powerful because she speaks from her own experience. Just a few years ago, Leah Weigand was still actively working in nursing. Today, she is pursuing a new path by studying medicine, but remains closely connected to nursing: "I still feel very connected to this industry. It is still the most beautiful profession for me."
Poetry as a social mouthpiece
What began as a personal process became a social movement. "I didn't have a master plan. I simply wrote down what I had experienced," she recalls. "I never thought it would have such a resonance." In 2021, she won the Hessian Poetry Slam Championships and in 2022, she reached the final of the German-speaking championships in Vienna. Her first book "Ein wenig mehr Wir" was published a year ago and went straight onto the Spiegel bestseller list. A work that not only makes grievances visible, but also aims to convey hope and humanity.
"Making a difference through language is a great treasure," says Weigand. The fact that nursing staff feel seen and understood through her texts touches her deeply. "A small community has developed under the video for 'Ungepflegt'. People have encouraged and networked with each other. That's what it's all about for me."
