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As 2025 draws to a close, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has supported the Sophie Foundation.

The foundation’s mission is to help prevent premature births and support premature babies, their families and caregivers. 100% of the money raised by the foundation goes towards specific projects.

This year, we continued to support PhD student Rimke de Kroon who is researching the impact of amniotic fluid on the development and microbial colonization of the premature intestinal tract (AMFIBIE study), under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Mirjam van Weissenbruch at the Amsterdam University Medical Center.

In addition we were able to continue to provide practical items to support the amazing work done by NICU Senior Nurse Anita Zijp and her colleagues – such as cooling bags for mother milk, educational material for families in the NICU etc.

To commemorate Sophie’s tenth birthday, we paid a visit to the team of the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at the AUMC last week, seeing concretely the impact of the contributions of the Sophie Foundation, and being impressed all over again by the incredible dedication, warmth, hard work and expert knowledge of the team of doctors and nurses in the NICU. We want to thank Prof. Dr. Mirjam van Weissenbruch, Drs. Celeste Laarman and Senior ICN nurse Anita Zijp specifically, as well as the wonderful team of Gwen van Mansum – Timmer at Stichting Steun Emma Kinderziekenhuis for the wonderful collaboration over the past years.

Wishing you and your loved ones all the best for a healthy 2026.

We are proud to sponsor Ph.D. student Riemke de Kroon, who is researching the impact of amniotic fluid on the development and microbial colonization of the premature intestinal tract (AMFIBIE Studie)

Under the supervision of Prof. Mirjam van Weissenbruch, Riemke will conduct research at the Amsterdam UMC and Máxima MC over the next two years. For more details, please see here AMFIBIE study Oct 2024.

End of March, we were kindly invited to the official opening of the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for prematurely born babies and their caregivers at the Amsterdam UMC.

Their NICU has become the largest and most modern of its kind in Europe, and a state-of-the-art department. Much attention is given to “family integrated care”, with a big emphasis on involving parents/family in the care for their prematurely born babies.

Read more here about this cutting-edge department: IC Neonatologie – Stichting Steun Emma Kinderziekenhuis

We are grateful that the Sophie Foundation was able to sponsor the complete equipment of one of the ‘Couplet Care’ rooms, where mothers and their newborns can be taken care of in the same room.

We are so happy that Sophie’s memory lives on and that – thanks to the generous support of so many of you – the Sophie Foundation was able to support this state-of-the-art intensive care unit.

Thank you to team of Stichting Steun Emma Kinderziekenhuis and to all the amazing nurses and doctors of the Emma Children’s Hospital @ Amsterdam UMC for the work they do each and every day to care for prematurely born babies and their families.

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

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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).