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Last week, we had the privilege of visiting Doctor Tim de Meij at the Amsterdam UMC (University Medical Centre). During our visit we heard all about his team’s latest cutting-edge research on the microbiome of prematurely born babies, and how it contributes to improving their quality of life in the NICU and beyond.

Tim explained his motivation and fascination for the research, the incredible amount of data they have collected, and the valuable insights they are gaining by harnessing the power of AI. The results obtained so far are already making a practical difference in the treatment protocols and care of prematurely born babies.

We are proud that in Sophie’s memory, the Sophie Foundation can make a financial contribution to support this groundbreaking research – thanks to the generous donations of so many family and friends. Thank you! We would also love to thank Gwen van Mansum – Timmer of the Stichting Steun Emma Kinderziekenhuis, with whom we closely collaborate to identify and support the right projects.

This visit has greatly inspired us at to continue our endeavors in preventing premature births and providing support to prematurely born babies, their families, and caregivers.

This past year saw the opening of “Sophie’s Room” at the Emma Childrens’ Hospital at the Amsterdam UMC. This milestone would have been impossible without your support and we are immensely grateful!

For the coming year, we have chosen three new projects in collaboration with the AUMC – and we fervently hope we can count on your support again.

With warmest wishes for a peaceful holiday season and a healthy new year 2023!
Birgit, Marco & Marie on behalf of the Sophie Foundation

Click here for the entire newsletter

April marked the opening of the impressive new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for prematurely born babies and their caregivers at the Emma Children’s Hospital at the Amsterdam UMC.

We are so proud of “Sophie’s Room”, one of the state-of-the-art “couplet care rooms” that the Sophie Foundation has been able to sponsor thanks to the amazing support of so many friends and donors. In these rooms, a mother and baby who both require intensive care can be together – rather than separated in different parts of the hospital, as was the case until now.

Thank you for your support! 

As 2021 draws to a close, we would like to express gratitude to everyone who has supported the Sophie Foundation in our mission to help prevent premature births and support prematurely born babies, their families and caregivers.

One new way we raised funds this year was through the first “Run for Sophie” family charity run, in which so many enthusiastic participants took part. Please mark your calendars for the second edition on Sunday, September 11th, 2022. You can participate live in Amsterdam or remotely.

With your help, we will continue to fulfill the mission of the Sophie Foundation. Thank you! We wish you and your families all the best for a healthy 2022.

Yesterday marked the first “Run for Sophie” family fundraiser event in Amsterdam. A huge thank you to all the amazing participants of all ages who joined us live – and remotely across Europe! What a great day of family fun and the start of a new yearly tradition.

We were super proud to present a cheque of more than EUR 21,000 (and counting!) to the representatives of Emma Children’s Hospital/AUMC for a specific project for improved neonatal intensive care – fully in line with our mission to help prevent premature birth and support prematurely born babies, their families and caregivers.

Thank you to all donors, near and far! 💙💙 For more pictures, please click here.

Looking for a fun sports goal after the summer? Join us – live or remotely – for the first Sophie Foundation charity run/walk.

Our goal is to raise funds for a private “mother & baby intensive care room” at the Emma Children’s Hospital in Amsterdam – see more details below.

Thank you for your support! 

Our next ambitious project is to fund a mother&baby private intensive care room at the Emma Children’s Hospital at the Amsterdam UMC.
To help raise the necessary EUR 40,000, we are organizing a 5km charity run through the Amsterdamse Bos  on Sunday, September 12th, 2021 (corona-rules permitting).

Our Big Goal for 2021 – a Mother&Baby Intensive Care Room

Our new project for 2021 is to sponsor a mother&baby private intensive care unit at the Emma Children’s hospital in Amsterdam. This will allow sick mothers and their prematurely born babies to share a room – rather than staying in two different parts of the hospital (as was the case with Birgit and Sophie). Due to the specialist medical equipment needed, these units are expensive.

To help raise the EUR 40,000 needed for one unit, we need your help. For more details on the “couplet units”, please click here.

Sophie Foundation celebrates 2nd year!

Thanks to your generous support and encouragement, the Sophie Foundation has been able to donate to specific projects to help prevent premature birth and support prematurely born babies, their families and caregivers.
It’s been an amazing two years – where we have raised over EUR 75,000 from app. 220 individual donors – and we look forward to continuing our work with your help.

To read the full newsletter, please click here … and read about our ambitious new project to raise EUR 80,000 for a Mother&Baby Private Intensive Care Unit at the Emma Children’s Hospital of the Amsterdam UMC.

To sign up for our newsletter, please register here.

Huge congratulations to Stephen Dowling who today ran a marathon in memory of his son Nathan, and raised an amazing EUR 18,000, which he and his wife Barbara Snacken generously donated to the Sophie Foundation.