After six months of spending many nights in his wheelchair, Gert Jan Jonker from Etten-Leur is finally sleeping in his own bed again. A relief. “I thought this can’t be true: I’m lying in my bed! It took six months,” says Gert-Jan as he swallows his tears.
“I thought this can’t be true: I’m lying in my bed! The next day they had trouble waking me up. I’m still refueling. My whole body and mind are relaxing. That’s quite a change.”
Gert-Jan is only 67, but needs care every day. Due to problems with his back, heart and kidneys, he is in a wheelchair. Yet he has often been on his own in recent months, because due to cutbacks in healthcare, there are not enough staff to help him get in and out of bed every day.
“I was given a tour behind the scenes in the House of Representatives.”
A lot has happened since Gert-Jan told his story at Omroep Brabant. Not only was he overloaded by responses from strangers who supported him and sometimes even wanted to help, parliamentary questions were also asked by the PVV. “I was even given a tour behind the scenes in the House of Representatives and talked there with Fleur Agema, Geert Wilders and Minister Conny Helder.”
“Many people do not dare to open their mouths because they are afraid of losing their care.”
Gert-Jan has been receiving help from home care twice a day for two weeks now. “I got a call that it had been completed. That they had been able to attract staff,” he says with emotion. “This was very necessary. I am glad I did this. Many people grumble about healthcare and I think: open your mouth. Let your voice be heard. But many people do not dare because they are afraid of losing their healthcare To hit.
“It took six months,” says Gert-Jan, swallowing his tears. “When I think about our mother. If she had known this, I don’t think she would have survived. At 94 years old.”
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