Maaike Oosterhof and Tonnie Landman were guests on behalf of the OOG in OOG Association. In her speech, Tonnie said to Jan: “I think it’s wonderful that you’ve fully embraced the process of acceptance. The result of your account of this long process is truly impressive. You describe the impact of a reckless act, as well as the influence of overprotective parents and a culture of silence. Anyone who loses an eye, for whatever reason, will have to come to terms with it in their own way. And this book can help everyone do that. It also made me reflect on my own healing process, because it unfolded so very differently from yours.”

The book

In this book, Jan tells his own moving story: how he lost his eye at the age of eight due to a horrific incident, and the struggle he went through to come to terms with this trauma. Jan vividly describes how he chose not to remain a victim and to get his life back on track by developing self-reliance, personal leadership, resilience, and his talents. He explains how he learned to cope with his disability and how important his family, friends, and acquaintances have been to him throughout this journey.

This book also offers a fascinating glimpse into life in the Netherlands in the 1970s and 1980s in areas such as child-rearing, schools, healthcare, hospitals, social services, and so on.

You can order the book through boekscout.nl, Bruna, Libris, and Bol.com

Jan Hulsbergen will be at the National Contact Day on May 10 to sign books.