About us
It is good to see that an idea that we, Stichting Ambulance Wens, once came up with is now
internationally followed.
We have, for example, helped to launch similar organizations in the following countries:
Australië: https://ambulancewishqld.org.au/home/
België: http://www.ambulancewens.be/
Duitsland: https://wuenschewagen.com/
Engeland: https://www.ambulancewishfoundation.org.uk/
Ecuador: https://www.facebook.com/FundacionAmbulanciaDeseo/
Israël: https://www.keshet-hamishalot.org.il/
Oostenrijk:https://wunschfahrt.samariterbund.net/
Spanje: https://ambulanciadeldeseo.es/
Zweden: http://önskeambulansen.se/
Japan: https://www.negai.org/index.html
Japan: https://www.wish-wagon.org/
Brazilië : http://www.institutorope.com.br
Italië : https://www.wuenschewagen.it/
El Salvador: http://www.ambulanciadeldeseo.org
What we do
We are Stichting Ambulance Wens. This name is based on the idea of fulfilling the last wishes of terminally ill patients with the help of volunteers and our own ambulances.
On 26 February 2007 we established Stichting Ambulance Wens 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, our foundation was started to help people who are dependent on transport by ambulance.
For the founder of Stichting Ambulance Wens Kees Veldboer, 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.
Our mission
The mission of Stichting Ambulance Wens is to give each terminally ill and bedridden patient the attention that he or she deserves, so that a patient’s last wish can be realized before dying. This experience may alleviate the impact of these final days for the patient and his surroundings. However, as there can only be one last wish – and we want to help every patient in realising this – we will help every patient only once!
That is what we want to achieve, adding quality of life to that final period of a patient’s life, so that part of the misery can be temporarily set aside.
Vehicle fleet
Stichting Ambulance Wens has five Mercedes Vito cars and one Mercedes Sprinter. These ambulances are specially equipped with tinted glass windows so that a patient can look outside, while outsiders cannot look inside. Besides they have powered stretchers with special mattresses, which allow for very comfortable patient transport.
