#TakeCareofSophia
Since December 2019, Little Dutch is a proud ambassador of the Friends of Sophia Foundation. What started with a donation of a wooden scooter for the charity auction of the foundation grew out to a beautiful contribution to the improved care for babies and children and the Erasmus MC-Sophia Chrildren’s hospital.
#TakeCareofSophia
Christmas is all about giving and the joy of making people happy. That is why we want to end the year with the most beautiful gift for the Friends of Sophia Foundation: a large cheque. Thanks to the succes of the Sophia doll in 2020 and all those lovely children that have welcomed Sophia into their hearts, we have raised almost €50.000. In the last weeks before Christmas we call upon your generosity to help us reach this incredible amount by joining us and make your donation. Together we can do more.
About the Friends of Sophia Foundation
In most cases a pregnancy ends with the birth of a healthy child. Unfortunately, this cannot be taken for granted. On average 1 in 20 children is born with a disease or abnormality. And about 1,400 children a year die in the period around birth.
The Friends of Sophia Foundation raises funds for extra research into treatment methods. The foundation supports projects that are designed to make a hospital stay as pleasant as possible – both for children and for their parents.
With the donation of Little Dutch the foundation will fund the Mother & Child Centre of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children’s Hospital. This centre holds all disciplines to provide complex care and to create an optimal environment for the development of the sick child, from the pregnancy wish to the first four weeks after birth.
This year the center will focus on the treatment of children in the womb. This enables the fetal care department to start diagnoses and treatment before a child is even born. It will give the babies a better chance at life and avoid premature delivery.
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The Sophia Doll
In 2019, when we became an ambassadour of the Friends of Sophia Hospital Foundation, we designed a very special cuddly doll: Sophia. Based on the hospital’s mascot Sophia, a girl in yellow dotted pyjamas. For each Sophia doll sold we donate an amount to the Friends of Sophia Foundation. The Sophia doll is available to buy from the Friends of Sophia webshop, as well as in many baby and children’s shops in both the Netherlands and abroad.
Negenmaandenbeurs
The Negenmaandenbeurs is the biggest event in the field of pregnancy and babies. It offers information and inspiration for parents to be. In 2020 Little Dutch presented the Sophia doll at this event with a dedicated stand for just Sophia and the Friends of Sophia Foundation. In 5 days the lovely doll was completely sold out and a big success. This was above all expectations and we are really thankful for such a great start of our cooperation with the foundation. Thanks to the Little Dutch team, the lovely team of the foundation and co-ambassador Davina Michelle the Sophia stole the hearts of the visitors of the Negenmaandenbeurs.
World Prematurity Day
17 November is World Prematurity Day. This special day is a key moment to raise awareness for preterm birth and its consequences. For Little Dutch an inspiration to do something special for the Neonatal Care Unit of the Mother & Child Centre of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Chrildren’s hospital. With a lot of love we had more than 700 swaddles made for Kangaroo Mother Care at the unit. This is skin-to-skin contact between parent and a preterm baby wrapped in a soft and comfortable swaddle. The swaddles are also used in the cribs as blankets, together with baby caps, to keep a baby warm.
How it started
“During the preparations for the 2018 Sophia Lichtjesdiner (Diner of Lights), the Friends of the Sophia Foundation reached out to us,’’ says Rinke van der Helm, founder and owner of Little Dutch. “We were asked to donate a wooden scooter to the charity auction which was to be held at the Lichtjesdiner Gala. From that moment on, things developed quickly.
‘’I was very moved by the things I saw when I got a tour around the hospital. I felt like: ‘This is where children are fighting for their lives’. It made a deep impression on me and I knew: Little Dutch is going to support the Erasmus MC – Sophia Children’s Hospital. That’s for sure.”
We are proud of all the initiatives we have been able to make for the Friends of Sophia Foundation and welcome you to join us. Either by buying the Sophia doll or by directly making a donation on this webpage.