Please note: Tips automatically go to GoFundMe. You can change this yourself.
Dear All,
We are Berdien (23) and Rianne (25), two sisters who used to live life full of energy and ambition. Our lives have been at a standstill for two years and we spend most of the day in bed. Berdien has the post-infectious disease Long Covid and Rianne has the post-concussion syndrome (PCS) as a result of a concussion. The often invisible complaints of both conditions have a major impact.
After endless attempts at recovery, we have found two promising treatments that are unfortunately not reimbursed by health insurance:
We could start these treatments at very short notice. Unfortunately, we are students (with student debt), so we do not have the necessary financial resources to pay for this. That is why we hereby call on friends, family, acquaintances and strangers to support us financially if possible to make these treatments possible. Together we aim for a total amount of €18,000. We are eager to participate in life again and will approach our treatment with hope, positivity and perseverance. Every contribution, large or small, brings us closer to our goal: becoming better.
We would like to thank you in advance for your compassion and support.
Love,
Berdien & Rianne
Read our personal story and more information about the treatments here:
Berdien:
“Before I got sick, I lived in a nice student house with five girls. I studied philosophy at Erasmus University, had a nice social life, loved sports and enjoyed going to the pub with friends. I also worked at a student initiative and occasionally worked in the classroom as a student teacher for primary school children.
From September 2022, a few weeks after I had corona, I noticed that I was less and less able to maintain this. I became completely exhausted from everything I did and had to constantly cancel things because my body was reluctant. I suffered from terrible headaches, palpitations, fatigue, overstimulation and a constant feeling of flu. Cycling to the university or office became quite a challenge and it was no longer possible to concentrate. After two months I had to stop working and studying. I was diagnosed with Long Covid (long = long lasting).
While I hoped I would be back on track within a month, that turned out not to be the case. After living in Rotterdam for 3.5 years, I had to move back to my parents. In the meantime, I have used everything to recover (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, osteopathy, psychology, orthomolecular therapy, etc.). At times it got a little better, but when I tried to build up, I fell back. That is extremely frustrating. Sometimes I try to work on my studies from home, but due to the effort this takes, I experience a lot of study delays. A month ago I read about a therapy that, according to hopeful research, could pave the way to recovery: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). This is a medical treatment method in which patients breathe 100% oxygen daily for 10 weeks in a room with increased air pressure, so that more oxygen reaches the cells. It ensures the production of new blood vessels, but also helps activate white blood cells. These are part of our immune system and fight viruses and bacteria. Many Long Covid patients see improvement after therapy. That’s why I really want to try it, so that I can hopefully get my life back a little bit.”
Rianne:
“Before I got sick, I was living life to the fullest. I worked part-time as a physiotherapist and also did the Masters in Human Movement Sciences at the VU in Amsterdam. I really loved sports and, for example, went (kite)surfing by the sea or rollerblading through the city. I also liked to do fun things with my boyfriend Sam and I could occasionally be found at a festival with friends. Unfortunately, there is little left of this life at this point.
In August 2022 I suffered a concussion from a fall while kitesurfing. The complaints continued to worsen. I spent a lot of time in a dark room with extreme headaches. Just walking around was too much and I couldn’t even take care of myself. I still haven’t recovered yet. I have many physical complaints every day: extreme headaches, fatigue, eye pain, hypersensitivity to light, noise and crowds and concentration and memory problems. My work, studies, sports and social life are still at a standstill. I can do some things indoors that require little physical or cognitive effort, such as household chores, sometimes a short walk, crocheting or listening to an audio book. Everything takes a lot of effort and energy and I have to lie in the dark several times a day to recover.
I am working hard on my recovery and have now tried several treatments within regular care, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology and a rehabilitation program. Unfortunately, it hasn’t helped me so far and I’m not making any progress. I have not given up hope yet and still believe in the possibility of recovery. That’s how I came across a promising therapy at the Functional Neurological Institute in Lisse. This is an intensive therapy of approximately 3 weeks that consists of a neuro-treatment program in combination with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Most patients with PCS improve significantly with this treatment, so I am hopeful that it will help me too.”
