Speaker for healthcare: Maarten van der Weijden
Maarten van der Weijden is a speaker for healthcare audiences: he was diagnosed with leukaemia at 19, won Olympic gold in 2008 and has since raised €18 million for 45 cancer research studies through his foundation. His keynotes of 30 to 60 minutes and workshops of 60 to 90 minutes are for hospitals, care organisations and healthcare conferences.
No obligation · a tailored proposal within one working day
Talks given, for companies, healthcare, education and government
Olympic gold in the 10 km open water, Beijing
Swam the Elfstedentocht, in 2019
Raised for cancer research, 45 studies funded
Who it is for
Maarten van der Weijden speaks for hospitals, care organisations and other healthcare employers. For departments where the pressure is high and stays high. For teams that have been working short-staffed for a long time, and where sick leave is a daily topic.
Maarten knows healthcare from the other side of the bed. At 19 he was diagnosed with leukaemia. He spent time in hospital with no control over his own life. When he stands in front of a room of healthcare professionals, he is talking to the people who do that work every day.
A good fit for:
healthcare conferences
staff days and annual meetings of hospitals and care organisations
away days for departments under heavy pressure
programmes on wellbeing and sustainable employability
What your audience takes away
Small goals over long periods
When Maarten was ill, he could not see the whole road ahead. He could see the next step. On his long swims he later did the same: not thinking about the finish, only about the next hour. On a long shift that does not make the work lighter, but it does make it manageable.
Knowing when to stop
In 2018 Maarten stopped his first Elfstedentocht swim after 163 kilometres. Stopping was the right call. A year later he swam the full 200 kilometres. In a profession built around caring for others, taking your own limits seriously is hard.
Not everything can be controlled
Maarten says it was no achievement that the treatment worked for him, but luck. Once you see success that way, you also see that something not working out does not automatically mean you did something wrong.
Resilience is a team effort
Maarten did the swimming on the Elfstedentocht, but hundreds of volunteers made it possible. Resilience in healthcare is not a task for one person either. It lives in colleagues who notice when someone is struggling.
Rest is part of performance
If you have to perform for a long time, you need to be able to ease off. Maarten learned that in elite sport, and it applies on a ward just as much.
The story behind it
Maarten van der Weijden was a promising swimmer when, in 2001, at the age of 19, he was diagnosed with leukaemia. In his own words, it was no achievement that the treatment worked: he was lucky. In 2008 he won Olympic gold in the 10 km open water race in Beijing.
He then decided to use his swimming to raise money for cancer research. In total the Maarten van der Weijden Foundation has raised €18 million, funding 45 research studies. In 2026 he set out on the 22-cities swim, 270 km from Vught to the Princess Máxima Center in Utrecht. After four days he had to stop for health reasons. Even so, more than €704,000 went to childhood cancer research.
In his book De laatste slag (Ambo|Anthos, 2026, in Dutch) he writes about the guilt of someone who was lucky when others were not. He brings that honesty to the stage. He asks the room to think of a moment when they did their very best and it still did not work out. Just as a patient has had bad luck when there was no treatment that worked.
What healthcare clients say
The Albert Schweitzer Ziekenhuis called the talk inspiring and a good fit for what they asked for, and valued that Maarten spoke without PowerPoint, clearly and with passion. At Arbo Unie, the client said his message matched their own core values perfectly. Their full feedback is below and on the clients page.
What the session looks like
Beforehand you have a short call with Maarten about your audience and what is going on in your organisation. For a healthcare audience he tells the same story as elsewhere, with a different emphasis: the patient's side, the line between pushing on and stopping, and a team that looks after its own.
A keynote lasts 30, 45 or 60 minutes, with or without Q&A. In an interactive workshop of 60 to 90 minutes participants get to work themselves. Maarten speaks in English and Dutch, on site or online. He needs a microphone, a screen and a clicker; there are no other special requirements.
This topic is closely linked to resilience. All formats are on talks.
Last checked on
Maarten on setting goals
Formats
Every session is prepared with you in advance, around your organisation, your audience and the goal of the day.
| Format | Length | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Keynote | 30, 45 or 60 minutes | The story, the lessons, and what they mean for your organisation. |
| Keynote with Q&A | 45 to 75 minutes | A keynote followed by questions from the audience, with or without a moderator. |
| Interactive workshop | 60 to 90 minutes | Hands-on work with a smaller group on goals, setbacks and teamwork. |
| Event host | Half day or full day | Maarten hosts your programme: he opens, links the speakers and keeps the day on track. |
- Language:
- Dutch and English
- Location:
- On site or online
- For:
- Companies · Healthcare · Education · Government · Sport · Associations
Feedback
Inspirerend en sloot aan op onze wensen. Fijn dat het zonder powerpoint was, vertelde makkelijk, op duidelijk toon en met passie.
Maikel HustinxAlbert Schweitzer Ziekenhuis★★★★★ 5/5 Zijn verhaal raakte en wist iedereen van begin tot eind te boeien. Maarten deelde zijn persoonlijke ervaringen en daarmee wist hij ons te inspireren. Zijn boodschap sloot ook perfect aan bij onze kernwaarden.
Laura VijfhuizenArbo Unie★★★★★ 5/5
Book Maarten directly
You talk to Maarten himself, from the first question until after the talk. That way his story fits what is going on in your organisation.
A personal intake call
You discuss your audience, your goal and what is going on right now directly with Maarten.
A proposal within one working day
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Tailored to your audience
Examples and emphasis fit your sector and the theme of the day.
Short lines
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Frequently asked questions
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