Team

Adrienne Rouleau works as a geriatric specialist at Kennemerhart in Haarlem, the Netherlands.

After Adrienne concluded her medical internships in Kenya during her medicine study, she decided that she wanted to give back the knowledge and the expertise she gained to vulnerable communities on the African continent. Since 2018 she has been working as a volunteer and is involved in several projects concerning medical care for vulnerable people in Eastern Africa. She founded this organization with the will to give back and share her knowledge of medical care and procedures.

Adrienne is the chairman of the board (KvK)

Doeke Hekstra was born in (Wonji) Ethiopia. He lived most of his childhood in Sudan and Kenya. Late 1990s he established an independent real estate company in Amsterdam. Affinity with East Africa and involvement in the human wildlife conflict triggered social corporate responsibility enterprise targeting healthcare for vulnerable nomadic communities in Northern Kenya.

After setting up and running HYF for several years it is amazing to see how well our intelligent and passionate team members are self managing, they figured out precisely what to do on our programs yielding astonishing results, improving communal and individual healthcare in desolate arid area’s.

Challenge remains to articulate a common vision to all team members. Leadership here is to communicate plans, ideas and vision so everyone understands it to get a consensus on a common vision for the future in order to produce countable and accountable results. Like all businesses, success is a numbers game.

''Your greatest wealth is health''

Doeke is the treasurer of the board (KvK)

Sam van Ooijen (26) is a Ph.D. student at Harvard University focusing on cancer development. He has a strong affinity for health care and conservation.

Sam is the managing director of the board (KvK).

Simen van den Berg (27) is currently in medical training to become a surgeon. Also, he recently finished a field guiding course at Marakele National Park, South Africa. Bringing healthcare to remote areas would improve the quality of life of the population there and would thereby also help with the human wild-life conflict that we are currently facing. This combination of conservation and healthcare is his drive to work for the Health Yetu Foundation.

Simen wants to stimulate sustainable knowledge exchange by mobilizing and sending Dutch doctors along with the outreaches, and organize training of medical personnel that work in remote areas. 

Besides his study, he has been working as an Allocation Officer at the Eurotransplant International Foundation and he is on the committee of the Rapenburg Race foundation, a foundation that organizes city swims to raise money for paraplegia research.

Simen is the medical director of the board (KvK).

Merel Hazewinkel (27) is the Co-Medical Director of the Health Yetu Foundation. She is currently doing her Ph.D. research at Cornell University in New York and is a PhD candidate at the plastic surgery department at Erasmus MC Rotterdam. 

Since the start of her medical career, her goal is to share medical knowledge in remote areas with less accessibility to health care and to contribute to society as a doctor. As a co-medical director of the Health Yetu Foundation, she will stimulate Dutch doctors to help in the process of providing medical care and education to vulnerable communities.

Merel is the secretary on the board and medical director (KvK).

ErasmusMC, Uroloog(NVU)-Androloog(EAA)- Seksuoloog (NVVS, FECSM). Tropenarts (NVTG).

Anne-Marie (Mimi) Schorer is a medical doctor currently training as a dentist specializing in maxillofacial surgery (OMF surgery). Her expertise extends beyond the Dutch healthcare system, as she has worked in an East African hospital, gaining invaluable insights into cross-cultural medical practice.

Anne-Marie also has a passion for storytelling through video and photography. She uses her creative lens to capture powerful moments, bridging the gap between this creative world and healthcare.

As co-medical director of the Health Yetu Foundation, Anne-Marie guides dental care projects and plays a central role in the foundation's (social) media presence. Her dedication to improving access to care in remote areas and sharing impactful stories drive her work and ensure that the foundation's mission resonates across borders.

Medical school at Leiden University, followed by surgical training in Rotterdam. Surgical research fellow in Mass General Hospital & Harvard Medical school in Boston, MA. PhD on Hepatocyes in liver support systems (1993). Further specialization in Surgical Oncology in Rotterdam and appointed as consultant in University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands in 1995. Professor in Surgical Oncology at the University of Utrecht since 2002. Chair of the Dept of Surgical Oncology, GI and Endocrine Surgery at UMC Utrecht from 2001-2016. Program Director surgical resident training from 2000-2013. Co-chair Laboratory for Translational Surgical Oncology since 1998. Research focus on hepatic tumors, particularly (outgrowth of) colorectal liver metastases. Supervisor of 72 PhD graduates. Current clinical focus on Endocrine and HPB surgery, including minimally invasive approaches, and Global Surgery. Currently chairs the INTEREST educational outreach program of the International Association of Endocrine Surgeons (IAES).

Suzette Nesselaar, 27, is a passionate journalist with a background in international news. After studying journalism with a focus on foreign reporting, she has spent the last five years as a reporter for a national broadcaster. Known for her curiosity and empathy, Suzette has produced several impactful documentaries, both in the Netherlands and abroad. She believes that everyone has their own story to tell, and she’s committed to capturing these unique narratives through powerful visuals and storytelling.

This dedication to authentic stories aligns with her work for the Health Yetu Foundation, where she helps to highlight the foundation’s mission of personalized care. Just as Health Yetu sees each individual as unique, Suzette’s goal is to amplify the voices of those who may otherwise go unheard, sharing their journeys with compassion and respect. Through her work, she brings to life the stories that matter, honoring the people behind them.

Thijs Hellemans (26) is a medical doctor in training who has completed several of his medical internships abroad. During these experiences, he discovered his passion for making a difference and contributing to accessible, high-quality healthcare for communities in need. Something he is eager to continue pursuing within the Health Yetu Foundation.

Consultant Surgeon with a special interest in oncology of the gastro-intestinal tract. Engaged in research at Zuyderland Medical Centre concerning optimizing hernia, colorectal-, gastric cancer treatment in order to improve outcomes in surgery.

In 2012 PhD graduation with the thesis entitled: 'Improving the outcome of liver surgery'.

Specialties: General Surgery (including basic trauma surgery), and the broad field of Gastrointestinal Surgery: Upper GI, Colorectal, HPB surgery, Hernia surgery and Endocrine Surgery.