‘What moves you?’ On 8 April the first Healthy Start colloquium took place at the characteric Depot Boijmans van Beuningen. With three speakers, moderator Annabel de Vreeker and a fully booked venue, we listened to inspiring stories, unique insights and methods, and we discussed how to stimulate an active and healthy lifestyle for chronically ill children. We wrapped up the day with an interactive demonstration market and networking drinks.

Mai Chin A Paw

Mai Chin A Paw is a full professor at the Amsterdam UMC, working as a movement scientist and epidemiologist. She is involved with a range of research projects focused on stimulating a healthy lifestyle and decoding the health effects of physical activity and sitting behaviour of youth. During the colloquium she dove into the non-inclusive character of science, providing striking examples of this. With participatory action research she does research ón but also wíth children, striving towards science that is more inclusive. Her vision: children have a unique look and knowledge on their own world, and moreover methey are incredibly creative. Or, as children themselves state: “Adults’ ideas are really boring.”

Yara van Kerkhof

Yara van Kerkhof is a Dutch shorttracker with no less than 14 golden medals. She is currently finishing up her master’s thesis in Science movement at the Sophia Children’s Hospital of the Erasmus MC, where she conducts research on registering children’s heartbeat. She is also involved in the Healthy Start ambition ‘Digital empowerment of children’s activity’. During the colloquium she shared her inspiring life story – how she underwent heart surgery at seven years old at the Sophia Children’s Hospital, the recovery period that followed and her first encounter with ice skating. How she sees it? Her road to Olympic bronze, silver and gold was possible not despíte her heart surgery and setbacks, but thanks to these valuable experiences, in combination with the immense support of the people around her.

Arend van Deutekom

Arend van Deutekom is a children’s cardiologist and Ambition Lead of the Healthy Start ambition ‘Digital empowerment of children’s activity’. During his inspiring Pecha Kucha presentation he invited us to think back on our own youth and how much we used to like playing hide and seek, soccer or climb a tree. Children with a chronic disease have to deal with limitations in sports and movement, not just because of their illness, but also due to fear and uncertainty experienced by themselves or their environment. But for these children in particular, movement is of vital importance. That is why within Healthy Start we are looking for new ways to support children with a chronic disease at home with the help of smart technologies. Within this ambition, we work together with medical professionals, physiotherapists, sociologist, psychologist, teachers and (industrial) designers. He elaborated on the insights we have gained up until now in the fields of family dynamics, the value of wearables and the role of apps for information and motivation, and concluded his presentation with an open invitation.

Did you miss the colloquium and would you like more information about our ambition or are you interested in collaborating with us? Please contact us via healthystart@convergence.nl.