Bake, bake and bake again. In the kitchen of Dagmar and Kel Zijlman from Oisterwijk it smells of sweets all day. The parents raise money for the Tess Foundation, an organization that makes it possible for children with disabilities to follow dolphin therapy in Curaçao. With the sale of home -baked cakes, they hope to raise as much money as possible so that their son Fynn can eventually also participate in the special therapy.
Dagmar and Kel have positive experiences with therapy for their 9-year-old son Fynn. He has autism and ADHD and therefore has a lot of trouble communicating. “He lives in his own bubble and it is difficult for him to make contact with the world around him,” explains Father Kel.
The earlier dolphin therapy, according to the parents, changed that: “After therapy we really saw that he was already more aware of what was happening around him. He suddenly stopped in Curaçao for a car, he did not have that consciousness for that.”
As their son got older, the parents saw better and better what the consequences of his autism were: “It is quite shocking when you first realize that your child will not develop when other children was. When Fynn was three years old, we saw that he really had trouble connecting with other age.
To raise enough money for a treatment, a substantial amount must first be collected. A two -week therapy session for a child costs more than eight thousand euros and that does not include the trip to Curaçao.
Tess Foundation raises money in all sorts of ways to make dolphin therapy in Curaçao possible for children with autism or a heavy physical or neurological defect. Parents can also start their own action themselves. Wendy decided to use her passion for bins for charity. With the money that the foundation raises, they can help around fifteen to twenty children with dolphin therapy every year.
The action of Kel and Dagmar, just like the cake, is still fresh. On Friday evening they launched the promotion and they sell the cakes until the end of April. Until then, Dagmar is busy baking the delicacies: “This way I can also use my hobby that got out of hand for a great goal!”, She says. “We especially hope that Fynn, little by little, becomes more self -reliant and more aware of the world around him.”
The cakes can be ordered via the website from Stichting Tess or via the social media of Dagmar on her baking account: @baking.for_fun.
What is dolphin therapy?
Dolphin therapy is a non -scientifically proven therapy in which mainly children with autism, trauma or an intellectual disability could be helped. It combines therapy with swimming with dolphins. On the website of the CDTC in Curaçao you can read the following about the therapy with dolphins:
“Making contact and dealing with dolphins stimulates and rewards patients to make measurable progress. These amazing beings can attract a person’s attention, put them at ease and offer unique forms of motivation.
After a two -week program, our patients show major improvements in their cognitive and/or motor skills that seemed impossible at home. “
Various animal rights organizations are critical of therapy because it would not be good for the animals.