Amy Pieters’ family, friends and team have set up a crowdfunding campaign for the 31-year-old cyclist, who is undergoing a long rehabilitation process. Not all her treatments at home and abroad are reimbursed by the insurance. That is why a fund has been set up into which money can be deposited.
The crowdfunding campaign was officially opened on Saturday shortly before the start of the women’s road race at the Dutch championships. Pieters won the red-white-blue champion’s jersey last year.
She suffered severe brain damage in a training accident in Spain at the end of December. The SD Worx rider had to undergo surgery, was in a coma for months and is now slowly taking steps in her recovery.
At the end of April, her team reported that Pieters has regained consciousness. The cyclist is currently unable to speak and is in a wheelchair. Communication is possible again. During the week Pieters follows a rehabilitation program and at the weekend she is at home.
“We are committed to her. We want to contribute in every way”, SD Worx manager Danny Stam tells the NOS about the crowdfunding campaign. “Sometimes there are treatments that are not reimbursed, but may be successful. And insurance is often only reimbursed afterwards.”
‘We keep hope’
Father Peter Pieters, former national team coach in track cycling, told earlier this week in a NOSitem that part of the rehabilitation is not reimbursed. That equates to 1,200 to 1,300 euros per month.
“That does not matter, as long as it works out. But we do want to see if we can do something, so that everything is not finished at the end of the ride,” says her father. “We continue to have hope. The treating doctors are also seeing progress, but it takes a lot of time.”
Christine Majerus, Pieters’ Luxembourg teammate at SD Worx, has made a special T-shirt. The first hundred donors who donate more than 100 euros will receive such a shirt.