Vera Tomassen – de Waal is the proud mom of 2 daughters. Her youngest – Bommel – is 12 years old and has special needs. She is severely mentally and physically disabled. However, she remains undiagnosed, no genetic disorder has been found (yet).
Vera is a freelance writer & editor, blogger and public speaker. She is the founder of ‘Mantelmama’, a Dutch online platform for families with special needs children. This platform is not only followed by families dealing with similar situations, but also by doctors, hospitals, therapists and specialists.
“I’ve had the tremendous honor of being the keynote speaker on the very first PROSA conference in 2018. And I was very touched to be asked to give a second lecture during the PROSA2022 conference. I’ve been a Faculty Member of both the International and Dutch PROSA Faculty since 2018.
Procedural comfort is a topic that is very close to my heart. With 12 years of being a special needs mom, and being in various medical settings frequently with our daughter, I have seen and experienced a lot. This is why I’m deeply motivated to share my / our personal experiences, and why I continue to advocate for all children who need medical care – special needs, or not - to help improve children’s healthcare.”