History of Ambulance Wish

History of Ambulance Wish

On 26 February 2007 Stichting Ambulance Wens was established in the Netherlands as an addition to the care for immobile terminally ill patients. There are still too many patients who die without having been able to conclude things in this final phase of their life. One of the causes is the inability to realise certain wishes because the patient is no longer mobile and other existing facilities fall short. Therefore, their foundation was started to help people who are dependent on transport by ambulance.

For the founder of Stichting Ambulance Wens Kees Veldboer (1959-2021), while employed and working as an ambulance driver, one particular occurrence was the trigger for starting Stichting Ambulance Wens. In Rotterdam while driving the ambulance, Kees Veldboer realized the last wish of the meanwhile deceased former sailor Mr Stefanutto. This patient very much wanted to sail on a ship one last time, and so they did. You can read the detailed story of this event on our website under the heading ‘our stories’. Other examples of what we can do for people with a life-threatening disease and a short life expectancy are for example a visit to the beach, a visit to a dear or loved one who is not mobile anymore either, a visit to a certain place that holds special memories for the patient, etc. Simple things in fact. But also more elaborate wishes can be realised. These include making a boat trip, visiting a concert or attraction etc. Obviously and needless to say, all this is carried out under the supervision of professional ambulance crew, in an ambulance with a comfortable stretcher.

Watch a short documentary about the founder of Ambulance Wish – HERE

Ambulance Wish is now in several countries:

• Netherlands: https://www.ambulancewens.nl/en  
  Belgium: http://www.ambulancewens.be/
  Germany: https://wuenschewagen.com/
  England: https://www.ambulancewishfoundation.org.uk/
  Ecuador: https://www.facebook.com/FundacionAmbulanciaDeseo/
  Israel: https://www.keshet-hamishalot.org.il/
  Austria: https://www.facebook.com/wuenschewagensuedtirol/
  Sweden: http://önskeambulansen.se/

Ambulance Wish Queensland is the first to bring this to Australia.

History of Ambulance Wish Queensland

Anne-Marie Dykstra, a community member living in the Gold Coast, learnt about Ambulance Wish in the Netherlands (Stichting Ambulance Wens) from social media and engaged the founder to learn more.

Anne-Marie then contacted Shyla Mills, CEO Palliative Care Queensland (PCQ), to discuss the idea. Shyla, who has worked in palliative care nursing for over two decades, instantly loved the idea. They engaged Carol Hope (PCQ State Council member) and together they developed the Ambulance Wish Queensland (AWQ) program plan.

They approached the Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Hon. Dr Steven Miles to support the initiative. He was very supportive of the Program and instantly offered a decommissioned ambulance and some seed phase funding to assist AWQld to become a reality.
Minister Miles also agreed to participate in a AWQld launch on the 25th July 2019, at Parliament House, Brisbane.

Betty was our first wish recipient. She was being cared for in a palliative care unit in Brisbane and was delighted to be a part of our launch. She wished to have passionfruit icecream and visit the botanic gardens