Charity M.F.L.S.-board 2023-2024: Stichting Opkikker 
It is a good tradition that each M.F.L.S.-board chooses a charity. The Board is committed to raising money for this charity throughout the year, such as during M.F.L.S.-week, Active Members Weekend and a lot more. This year the charity is Stichting Opkikker. This organization organizes Opkikker Days for families of long-term sick children to give them a bright spot during the disease process. Read more about Stichting Opkikker below!
Message from the foundation:
Imagine being told that your child is very sick. It just happens to you! From that moment on, your world turns upside down. Being sick for a long time has an enormous impact: it requires a lot of energy and perseverance. The many unpleasant treatments, hospitalizations and uncertainty about the future affect your whole family. In such a situation you can use all your strength and every ray of hope, however small, is really important. That is exactly what we do at Stichting Opkikker: offer a ray of hope, so that families with a long term sick child find the strength to continue.
Not just sick for a while
We do this by taking patients, as well as their parents, brothers and sisters, to a world where 'being sick' does not play a leading role for a while. A world where we move heaven and earth to realize their most beautiful dreams. On such a 'Opkikkerdag' we let the worries of 'our' families fade into the background by means of many fun activities. How about playing fireman and putting out a real fire? Being a DJ at a sparkling party? Driving around in a real carriage as a princess? Or taking a helicopter flight?
take? We give each family sincere, personal attention and always put together a program tailored to their individual family situation.
From patient to child
As far as we are concerned, however, an Opkikker Day is only the beginning. We offer all patients, brothers and sisters the opportunity to work as an 'ambassador' for Stichting Opkikker to help fellow sufferers, in whatever form. Through the ambassadorship we give children pride, self-esteem, strength, responsibility AND a social network they can fall back on. As a result, they can be "just" kids again for a while. The focus of our unique ambassador program is always on that transformation from patient to child that positively impacts their childhood. Once in our sights, we often stay connected to "our" families for life through annual contact moments.
Chain of strength
In the Netherlands there are over 250,000 families with a long-term sick child. An additional 10,000 families are added each year. It is our mission and passion to help them, preferably all of them. We have been doing this with heart and soul for 26 years!
Our cooperation with more than 90 hospitals plays an essential role in this. Doctors and teaching assistants in a hospital register with us the families who qualify for an Opkikkerdag. We cover the costs of all the wonderful work we do without government subsidies or support from big lotteries. With the help of volunteers, donors and sponsors, we have already been able to give a positive boost to thousands of families with a sick child. Today, tomorrow and next year. This is how we build a long-term chain of strength and we can use all the help we can get!
Would you like to support Stichting Opkikker? We greatly appreciate this! Big or small, one-time or every month: every contribution helps us give families with a long-term sick child the strength they so desperately need. Donate now with every purchase through the M.F.L.S. website!