My story

Growing up with an energy disorder, I had to find my own way to stay active. But I’ve always been driven by more than just staying active, I want to push my limits.

"I want to be the best!"

24-04-2006: Born

I had a tough start in life. I needed extensive medical care, frequent hospital stays, and constant consultations with specialists. Doctors struggled for a long time to find the right diagnosis, trying different approaches to figure out what was wrong.

22-10-2007: Diagnosed

At 1.5 years old, I was diagnosed with an energy metabolism disorder. The prognosis was daunting: “70% don’t make it to 10, and 95% don’t reach 20.”

From just three months old, I needed permanent tube feeding. Until I was 15, I alternated between walking and using a wheelchair to manage my energy.

Throughout my childhood, I faced many challenges: frequent hospitalizations, uncertainty, and setbacks. For the first 12 years of my life, I was treated by teams of six to seven specialists across two hospitals. Each hospital visit often meant a full week of examinations to minimize the strain on my body.

2010: Albert Schweizerschool

I started my education at a school for chronically ill children. At six years old, thanks to the Inclusive Education Act, I transitioned to mainstream education, bringing my wheelchair and feeding tube with me.

2011: G-Hockey

I always had the drive to play sports, and hockey was my dream!

I discovered G-Hockey, where I could play within my physical limits. This was the beginning of my athletic journey, and I never lost my mindset as an athlete. Even then, I knew I didn’t want to play sports in a wheelchair. I wanted to push myself to go as far as possible.

Before long, I transitioned to regular hockey, determined to compete at the highest level I could.

2012: Mainstream secondary school

I continued into regular secondary education, again using my wheelchair and the necessary accommodations.

For the first two years of high school, I relied on my wheelchair, but eventually, I was strong enough to leave it at home!

2017: Lyceum Sancta Maria

At Lyceum Sancta Maria, I completed my final years of secondary school at HAVO level. During this time, I chose Sports and Management as an elective and no longer needed my wheelchair.

2022: Beginning of my golf career

When I started playing tournaments, I joined the top sports program GolfTon while training at Noordwijkse Golf Club.

This combination was the perfect fit: it allowed me to train extensively, meet passionate and supportive people, and compete in the women’s competition team.

My golf skills grew quickly. Instead of training just one hour a week, I was suddenly training 25 hours a week.

Switching clubs and joining GolfTon opened up far more opportunities for development, both on and off the course .

2024: America

In 2024, I competed at the Dutch Championships and started working toward a new goal: moving to America to take my ambition and passion for golf to the next level.

I was approached by Slamstox recruiting and decided to work with them to find the university that would best support my development.

After receiving many offers and spending a long time thinking about which opportunity would help me grow and reach my dream of competing at the Olympic Games, I faced a tough decision.

In the end, I realized that it was up to me to take the leap and drive my own progression.

When I finally said yes, a new adventure began, one that I enjoy and am grateful for every single day.

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