.jpg?h=e668bba5&itok=bWS8qqPe "Mats (8) cycles 150 kilometers for a good cause after encephalitis")
“A lot of cheering, clapping and a lot of music”, Mats tells EditieNL about his arrival at Stichting Opkikker this afternoon. There he personally handed over the check to director and founder Ruud Sliphorst. “Really great.”
During his own rehabilitation process a few years ago, he also qualified for an Opkikkerdag, a relaxing day for families with a long-term sick child. It didn’t take long before he functioned as the foundation’s ambassador.
encephalitis
Four years ago, Mats got chickenpox, just like almost every child. But soon he started to suffer from severe complaints such as vomiting, headaches and he was barely approachable. “They did not realize that Mats had meningitis,” father Ivo tells EditieNL. Meningitis can be a complication of chickenpox.
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It didn’t get any better. “We were sent home, but it wasn’t long before Mats was unable to walk.” After a visit to the hospital with examinations and an MRI scan, it became clear that it was a brain infection.
Opkikker Foundation
Mats recovers and the hospital registers the family for an Opkikkerdag during his rehabilitation process. Since then, Mats has been an ambassador and does his best every year to raise money. This year it had to be something sporty. “The rehabilitation doctor said that I could never become a top athlete. But he was not proved right,” says Mats enthusiastically.
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On Sunday morning at 10.30 am, the duo left for Almere from Stampersgat in Brabant. “Mats said that he liked the piece near the Alblasserwaard the most,” says father Ivo. The first overnight stay there also took place in a bed and breakfast. The second night was in a hostel.
‘Super trots’
They laughed and yelled at each other, but especially at ‘miepje’, the pet name for navigation. “Miepje has sent us in the wrong direction a few times. I think she needs a holiday. She won’t get that from us,” Mats jokes. In any case, that resulted in a few extra kilometers on top of the one hundred and fifty that had already been set.
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Together with the Opkikker Foundation, Mats’ parents have a Tikkie opened up. A thousand euros was the goal, but this exceeded their wildest expectations. “I am very proud of Mats. It could have been very different. We still hope to raise money. For now we are going to reminisce and this is a wonderful amount.”
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