Stichting Intermobiel

English information about the foundation Intermobiel

 

My name is Veroni Steentjes (38). I have a serious physical disease (CRPS) which has rendered me bedbound for almost 20 years now. It has limited me profoundly, it drains my energy and causes a lot of pain. I set up a charity idea called Intermobiel, which became an official foundation in 2003. The Intermobiel Foundation caters for fellow patients: young people in the age of 18-40 with a physical handicap or chronic disease. The name Intermobiel is composed of mobile; the physical mobility problems that the handicap poses, and inter; from internet. Our pc’s, internet and the right adjustments make us mobile. Some of us are housebound while others have mobility problems but can still walk. Stichting Intermobiel for young physical disabled with a positive attitude

 
The charity aims at digital contact and at exchanging knowledge with the target group in order to obtain the best possible level of independence and to achieve integration into society. I set up Intermobiel to share my knowledge and experience with living with a handicap since the age of 12. My knowledge can help fellow patients, making my fight not just for me but also for others with the same problems. I use special adjustments that are not very well known but are tremendously life-changing. I live my life in bed and with this bed I do what I want and what I can. So I studied general anthropology at university and attended with bed and all. I was the first in the Netherlands to do so. I went to music concerts and theatre shows in my bed, because it was impossible to go otherwise. When I could not obtain a service dog because I was too physically limited, my friend Emile and I trained a service dog ourselves, under guidance, and this has been very helpful.

Much of what we of Intermobiel do, we do online through our website: www.intermobiel.com, which is a digital knowledge platform. Many young Intermobiel people are socially isolated, and Intermobiel enables them to find new friends, to find someone who understands with just a single word. On our website you can find all sorts of subjects related to being a 18-40 year old and having a physical handicap or chronic disease: adjustments, study, work, hobby, meditation and also sex and parenting with a handicap. Our website is a kind of encyclopedia. All the information originates from fellow patients. Our information actually helped two people to get out of their homes with the right wheelchair! We helped another young woman to a service dog, making a wheelchair redundant.

The Intermobiel Foundation runs on volunteers with and without a handicap. The reason for this is to bring young people with and without handicaps in contact with each other. Also, it is important to us that people know that their handicap does not make them any less of a city member or country inhabitant. Most work is done by young persons with a handicap. For instance by writing articles, working on the website, publishing a digital magazine, maintaining telephone contacts with fellow patients. But we also have medically trained people giving advice. On the website you can find stories narrating how you can still do a lot when you have a handicap. These stories are stimulating to fellow patients. Reading that there are more people going to concerts in their beds, makes it easier to do the same. Our website also contains a database in which you can for instance look up theatre or holiday options as a manual wheelchair user, an electric wheelchair user or a bedbound person.

We emphasize what still can be done with a handicap instead of what cannot. We think in possibilities, not in problems. We try to help young physically handicapped persons to go to a concert when they cannot arrange for it themselves. We try to build our knowledge in order to obtain better adjustments, to advise how buildings can become better suited and provide better access for physically handicapped people. We have a handicap, we are not the handicap! We are so much more than that. The volunteers with a handicap are learning a great deal because of the Intermobiel Foundation. Two former board members now operate their own company from home and bed, having joined the working force and being their own boss.

We help young people with a physical handicap or chronic disease. It does not matter what you suffer from: we welcome and help everyone. We do not only help young people with a handicap, but their environment, as well. Also, we help care workers both directly and indirectly, considering that many adjustments, experiences and knowledge are little known. In addition, it is our goal to discuss any type of subject that is important when you are young and dealing with a handicap. Sex is important, but a great taboo, as is parenting with a handicap. Many people unjustly think that the children are lacking, that they miss out when their mother or father has a handicap, which is not true.

Four out of six board members have a physical handicap. We receive no government funding so we need every penny we can get. We rely on donations from individuals, businesses and special actions to raise money.We hope that we can keep on helping these young people with so much potential. But without money it is difficult in these years of recession. You can support us in so many ways.

Best regards,
Veroni Steentjes and Emile Cobben
Intermobiel Foundation
info@intermobiel.com 
www.intermobiel.com
+ 31 (0)6 43 05 57 38
bank account: 36.11.14.850
C.o.C. number: 09134684