Ambassadors
Ronald Koeman
After a distinguished football career — including four league titles, victory with the Netherlands at UEFA Euro 1988 and two European Cups — Ronald Koeman has spent almost two decades as a manager. He became friends with Casper while managing Feyenoord and supports Support Casper in a personal capacity as an ambassador.
Lars Boele
Radio presenter Lars Boele hosts De Avond van Lars Boele on Qmusic from Monday to Thursday. Having lost his father to pancreatic cancer in 2011, Lars is deeply committed to improving prospects for patients. After interviewing Casper about his pioneering research, he joined Support Casper as an ambassador.
Nikki Born
Nikki Born performs as the lead singer of Belgian dance act Lasgo and is also an accomplished photographer. While travelling in 2019, Nikki received devastating news from home: her grandfather had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was expected to have only a few months to live. Sadly, he died just a few weeks later. Nikki and her grandfather were extremely close, making his illness and death an especially difficult time for her. During one of their final conversations, he asked her to write a song for him. She performed it at the 2023 Support Casper Gala in memory of her best friend. As an ambassador, Nikki hopes to raise awareness among younger people and inspire them to fundraise for Support Casper, helping to make effective treatments for pancreatic cancer available.
Hans van Breukelen
Goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen represented FC Utrecht, Nottingham Forest and PSV during his 19-year career. He earned 73 caps for the Netherlands and was part of the team that won UEFA Euro 1988. As a former international footballer and KNVB technical director, Hans knows that setbacks can be part of achieving success. He wrote the book Maak je comeback about this, with proceeds donated to Support Casper.
René van der Gijp
Former professional footballer and television analyst René van der Gijp is a prominent Support Casper ambassador. He became friends with Casper van Eijck while playing for Sparta, where Casper was the club doctor. They have remained close ever since.
Ellen Hoog
Former Netherlands hockey international Ellen Hoog earned more than 200 caps, won two Olympic gold medals and took silver at the 2016 Olympic Games. Away from hockey, she promotes healthy living and gives motivational talks. In 2005 she lost her father, her greatest supporter. She often quotes his advice: “Do what makes you happy and do not take life too seriously.”
Mirco Pruyser
Finding an effective treatment for pancreatic cancer is an elite team effort. It requires excellent preparation, the right resources, determination and the courage to explore new approaches. Those values are why I am proud to support Support Casper.
Billy Bakker
Drawing on our elite-sport mentality and our work at BP College, we support Professor Casper van Eijck and his team in their search for effective treatments for pancreatic cancer. Our goal is to help ensure that a diagnosis is no longer a death sentence for the 3,000 people affected in the Netherlands each year.
Steven Rooks
Steven Rooks achieved success in nearly every major cycling tour. He finished second in the 1988 Tour de France, winning the stage to Alpe d’Huez as well as the mountains and combination classifications. Pancreatic cancer also touched his cycling career personally: Laurent Fignon, one of his closest friends from the Tour, died from the disease in 2010 at the age of 50.