WADM supports art project Heart Work Heroes

Getting the next generation excited about healthcare is hugely important. By 2031, the shortage of healthcare staff is expected to reach 135,000 employees*. Hospitals and nursing homes in particular will come under pressure. With a significant shortage of nurses at both MBO and HBO levels.

Herman Poort would like nothing more than to support the care. Herman founded Heart Work Heroes after the death of his girlfriend. Shortly after the birth of his oldest daughter, his girlfriend was found to have leukemia. They went into the battle full of courage, but by two months the battle was over and unfortunately not with a victory. In seven months, he had become a father and his daughter had lost her mother.

The intense two months, largely on the hematology ward, opened his eyes to the support and resilience of healthcare staff. It impressed him very much, how the care workers around them manage to make such a difficult time bearable and hopeful. Under bizarre workloads.

The impact of corona has only intensified that pressure on care. But also more visible. Time to move on, Herman thought. And to give something back. He wanted to do so in a colorful way, positive and future-oriented. He found dozens of artists who were going to help him do that. Went on to attract well-known healthcare professionals such as Diederick Gommers: ‘How wonderful it would be if you were seventeen and you thought yes, I’m going to work in healthcare. Or I’m going to do some training, I’m going to see if that suits me. It is a positive project. You don’t have to solve it right away. The fact that young people want to think about it alone is a win-win. And Herman could also count on support from Rotterdam City Council and the business community. All shrug and get to work.

Proud Rotterdam may host the premiere edition of the Heart Work Heroes exhibition. From May 18 to June 27, 2022, there will be 41 sculptures in the city. These are about 2 meters high including the pedestal and can be admired from Central Station to the Kop van Zuid. Rotterdam is of course the pre-eminent city to give hands and feet to a project like this. Both art and healthcare play a prominent role in Rotterdam. Together with largely Rotterdam artists, the sculptures were created to show the care workers our appreciation. After the open-air exhibition, the striking and unique artworks will be auctioned off by a renowned auction house. Proceeds from the auction will be used to support healthcare. Initiatives that contribute to making healthcare more attractive to current and future employees can especially count on donations. And, of course, initiatives that aim to get young people excited about careers in healthcare. The Giovanni van Bronckhorst Foundation, for example. With S.V. Gio, they strike the right tone with children who need it most. With the support of Heart Work Heroes, S.V. GIO will establish a care branch to introduce young people to care as well.

Of course, what WADM does for Heart Work Heroes is dwarfed by the energy that the healthcare workers themselves put into their beautiful profession. But every little bit helps, was our thought. WADM supports Heart Work Heroes with the things we do best: communications consulting, design, copy, help with socials and with our own network. So that we can also call there to follow Heart Work Heroes and support them whenever possible. With our help, we will adopt two sculptures during the exhibition in the city. Which will then be auctioned off – hopefully for a good price.

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Do you have a heart for our healthcare heroes and Rotterdam artists?
Visit the expo from May 18 – June 28, 2022 throughout Rotterdam.

💚 Follow? Insta > @heartworkheroes
💚 Info > www.heartworkheroes.com

* This is evident from research conducted by ABF Research on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS).