You have given me your shoulders to stand on.
Words by Movao member Chris Kunkeler
Friday, November 28th, was a milestone moment, my very last session at Rijndam Rehabilitation Centre, marking the end of my recovery and rehabilitation journey.
It also marked the beginning of the next chapter of my life: returning to a more normal rhythm and getting back to work. I recently looked back at what I had written for myself on my very first day of rehabilitation. I remember thinking it was taking far too long before I could even begin 😉.
There were three weeks between my amputation and starting my sessions at Rijndam. By then, I was already walking and exercising again — on one leg, of course. When I finally started, I realised I had to adjust my expectations. I wanted to hit the ground running, but the team at Rijndam took a more gradual approach. I was also surrounded by people at very different stages of healing, which took some getting used to.
Once I settled in, I quickly began to love it. Working on myself and getting better. I met my regular physiotherapist. I already knew the doctor and the psychologist. And then I met my prosthetist. What struck me most was how well they all worked together as a team around me. I soon started to truly enjoy my two days a week at Rijndam.
When the sports therapist joined the team, that's when it became really fun. Even when I was still on crutches, walking on one leg, I could already do quite a bit of "sport" on one leg. After a few weeks, I received my prosthesis — unfortunately, just as my regular physiotherapist went on holiday. But she was replaced by another fantastic physiotherapist, who taught me my very first steps and how to regain my balance.
Almost everyone learned to walk as a child, but they don't actively remember it. So how wonderful it is to get that chance AGAIN! And that's exactly what I learned through trial and error at Rijndam. Every week, I learned something new that improved things. And now I'm walking long distances again on my prosthesis without any other aids. And I'm starting to run again. And I can cycle again.
My next goal is to relearn footwork so I can do sports like padel, and I am excited to join the Inclusive Padel Tour in 2026. At Rijndam, not only have I learned to walk, but I've rediscovered my joy in sports. Even before my amputation, the doctor and psychologist at Rijndam helped me decide to amputate my leg. Of course, I discussed this carefully with my loved ones too, but having professionals with real experience of amputations — and what life afterwards can look like — made an enormous difference.
They have also supported me (and continue to help me) in processing the loss of my leg, dealing with phantom pain, and everything that comes with that. Andre Agassi gave an excellent speech to the audience when he retired from top-level tennis, which included the quote: "You have given me your shoulders to stand on." That's how it feels for me, too.
First and foremost, this applies to my close friends and family — but also to my colleagues. The period leading up to my amputation and everything that followed was far from easy for the people around me. They had to watch me suffer with pain and watch me as I had turned my life upside down.
They witnessed my transformation into someone with one leg and a prosthesis — something I now embrace, because it has made me stronger. But for those around me, it required a huge adjustment. And however you look at it, life on one leg makes you more vulnerable. That too affects the people who care about you.
I am deeply grateful for everyone's support, patience, and understanding. Agassi's words also apply to the incredible professionals at Rijndam. Without them, I would not be where I am today. They taught me to walk again at 53! And because of them, I can now walk, cycle, and even run again — without pain, and with absolute joy. They helped me reach the point where I can live independently again, together with my loved ones.
That final day was incredibly emotional. When I arrived home, the tears that I had been holding back for so long finally came. I often need a moment — a trigger — to truly let those emotions out, and this day was that trigger. Until now, I haven't mentioned the names of these professionals in my blogs, out of respect for their privacy.
But for this tribute, I will — using only their first names, and in no particular order: Dorien and Esther (physiotherapists), Arno and colleagues (Orthopaedic technicians), Karin (psychologist), Paul and Jessie (sports instructors), and of course Marieke (rehabilitation physician). Rijndam Rehabilitation and Rijndam Orthopaedic Technicians: from the bottom of my heart: THANK YOU!
You can find more of Rijndam’s fantastic work on Instagram:
👉 Rijndam Orthopaedic Technicians