Every second counts. On March 22nd, 2026, I will be running the Rome Marathon. Sponsor this challenge and support encephalitis research.

When I was 25, I suddenly ended up in intensive care. A few days before, I'd felt nauseous out of the blue and had a severe headache. I'd never felt so ill before. I was speaking gibberish and couldn't find the words. It felt so strange. What started as something unexplainable ended in complete uncertainty. Doctors didn't know what was wrong at first.

No one knew what was happening to me. Until the diagnosis came: viral encephalitis. An aggressive form of brain inflammation in which a virus attacks the brain. Without treatment, around 90% of patients die from it. Even with rapid antiviral treatment, around 1 in 4 people still die. ‘At that moment, you’re not a statistic. You’re a son. A brother. A friend.’.

I'm still here because friends saw that I wasn't doing well and called 999. And because science, medical knowledge, and timely, correct treatment made the difference. I carry that realisation with me every day.

After four weeks of treatment, I was finally able to leave the hospital to go for rehabilitation. However, the next day I developed a second brain inflammation, an autoimmune brain inflammation. In this condition, your own immune system attacks healthy brain tissue.

Thanks to the intensive care from the team at Amsterdam UMC and my further rehabilitation at Daan Theeuwes Centrum, I have recovered physically and mentally. My family and I will never forget that period. The gratitude is immense.

Through cognitive training and brain training at Amsterdam Brain Center, I have learned how the brain can create new connections and reshape itself. It shows how resilient humans are, and how important research and guidance are.

Encephalitis has multiple variants and affects millions of people worldwide annually. In the Netherlands, this amounts to 10-15 people per day. Research and rapid recognition literally make the difference between life and death, and between full recovery or permanent damage.

Therefore, I am running the Rome marathon in 2026.

Not just as a sporting challenge
But as a symbol of recovery
Contribution to brain research
Hope for the future
And out of gratitude

Rome feels like a place of strength and survival to me.
As in Gladiator: “We will meet again.”

With this marathon, I am raising money for research and support for Amsterdam UMC and other hospitals, in collaboration with the ItsME Foundation, in the field of neuro-infections and brain inflammation.

Would you like to contribute to hope for the future?

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Every second counts. On 22nd March 2026, I will be running the Rome Marathon. Please sponsor my effort and support research into encephalitis.

At the age of 25, I suddenly found myself in intensive care. A few days earlier, out of the blue, I'd felt nauseous and developed a severe headache. I'd never felt so poorly in my life. I started speaking incoherently and couldn't find my words. It felt so strange. What began as something inexplicable ended in complete uncertainty. At first, doctors didn't know what was
happening to me.

No one knew what was happening. Until the diagnosis came: viral encephalitis. An aggressive form of brain inflammation in which a virus attacks the brain. Without treatment, up to 90% of patients die. Even with rapid antiviral treatment, approximately 1 in 4 people still die. “At that moment, you are not a statistic. You are a son. A brother. A friend.”.

I am still here because friends realised something was wrong and called emergency services. And because science, medical expertise, and timely, appropriate treatment made the difference. I carry that awareness with me every single day.

After four weeks of treatment, I was finally able to leave the hospital to begin rehabilitation. However, the very next day I developed a second brain inflammation: autoimmune encephalitis. In
This condition, your own immune system attacks healthy brain tissue.

Thanks to the intensive care of the team at Amsterdam UMC and my further rehabilitation at the Daan Theeuwes Center, I have recovered physically and mentally. My family and I will never forget that period. The gratitude is immense.

Through cognitive training and brain training at the Amsterdam Brain Centre, I learned how the brain can create new connections and reshape itself. It shows how resilient human beings are, and
How vital research and guidance are.

Encephalitis has multiple variants and affects millions of people worldwide each year. In the Netherlands alone, 10-15 people are affected each day. Research and early recognition
literally make the difference between life and death, and between full recovery and permanent damage.

That is why in 2026 I will run the Rome Marathon.

Not only as a sporting challenge,
But as a symbol of recovery,
A contribution to brain research,
Hope for the future,
And out of gratitude.

Rome feels to me like a place of strength and survival.
We will meet again.“

With this marathon, I am raising funds for research and support for Amsterdam UMC and other hospitals, in collaboration with the ItsME Foundation, in the field of neuro-infections.
and encephalitis.

Would you like to contribute to hope for the future?