About 100 people traveled to Herwijnen. Thirty-five children went along with volunteers in small groups so that the adults could attend various lectures.

Especially for parents and grandparents of children with retinoblastoma, nearly the entire retinoblastoma team from Amsterdam was on hand to present interesting lectures featuring the latest news on retinoblastoma. For other adults who wanted to attend the lectures on seeing with one eye and ocular prostheses, space was available in the adjacent room.

After the presentations, the parents and grandparents split up into small groups for various discussion sessions. At lunchtime, the children rejoined their parents, and we were able to enjoy the delicious sandwiches and a cone of fries with a snack. The children vividly described everything they had experienced that morning. After lunch, they couldn’t wait to show GeoFort to Mom, Dad, and, of course, Grandma and Grandpa. For the older children, there was even a real Minecraft workshop with VR headsets in the afternoon. To wrap things up, we shared some snacks and drinks together, and the children went home tired but happy, each with a well-stocked goodie bag.

This event was made possible in part by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport (VWS). We also received a generous donation of no less than €2,000 from the Rotary Club of Noordwijk-Katwijk.

The survey and feedback received on the day itself showed that the venue was a huge hit. Family Day 2024 received an average rating of 9!