Wheelchair users outside the new wheelchair bus.
THE HAGUE–The White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF) in St. Maarten recently received a large bus with a wheelchair lift from the Cooperating Funds (“Samenwerkende Fondsen”) in the Netherlands.
With the money of the Cooperating Funds, the WYCCF was able to replace its 11-year-old bus. This would not have been possible without this financial contribution, said WYCCF Operations Manager Bregje Boetekees in an article that was published by the Orange Fund (“Oranje Fonds”) on Tuesday.
The new bus takes some clients of the WYCCF to the hospital for treatment, such as kidney dialysis, while it takes others to the location of their day programme. The bus is also used for fun trips to the beach, concerts and to the theatre and the movies.
Boetekees explained that the world of many clients residing at the home can become very small. “It means a lot to them when you can take them on an island tour or to see their old neighbourhood. And, it is great when we can fulfil someone’s last wish with a trip in the bus,” she said.
In the article, Boetekees elucidated on the history of the WYCCF, which more than 50 years ago started as a nursing home. The organisation has grown a lot and the WYCCF now offers a wide range of services: elderly care, district nursing, baby care and care for mentally and physically challenged persons. The WYCCF also has a rehabilitation centre and a hospice. The WYCCF has more than 450 clients.
The WYCCF works closely with the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC). “We try to offer a solution for the gaps in health care. I hope that in the future, we can provide care for the blind and visually impaired people,” said Boetekees.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/93819-new-wheelchair-bus-for-wyccf
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