Amsterdam: Joyce Sombroek always knew how to stop the heavy, white cork ball that would fly off the astro-turf and threaten to crash into her helmet visor as she defended with stick and gloves.
Sombroek did that well for The Netherlands and the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, World Championships gold in 2014 and back-to-back ‘Best Goalkeeper’ awards are testimonies to her abilities as a hockey player.
Now Sombroek, who is also a doctor, is at the forefront of a battle against the COVID-19 pandemic as she treats patients affected by the virus wearing a Hazmat Suit. She retired from the game at the age of 26 and completed her medical degree at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.
“When I finished my studies almost two years ago, I started working in the Internal Medicine, Pulmonary, Cardiology and Gastro-Intestinal departments,” Sombroek, who made 117 appearances for the Oranje between 2010 and 2016, was quoted as saying by the FIH website.
“After that I went to the emergency rooms at a big hospital in Amsterdam to become more experienced in acute situations and traumatology. But since the start of March, I started training to become a general practitioner (GP), where a lot of the healthcare in the Netherlands is performed, and we currently find ourselves in a very special situation,” added the former player.
According to the global body’s official website, Sombroek works at a medical centre in Aalsmeer, a town located 13 kilometres south-west of the Dutch capital.
Initial contact with coronavirus patients is made via telephone in order to determine whether hospital treatment or a home visit is required. If it is the latter, Sombroek – or one of her colleagues – will assess the patient wearing a protective suit to help contain the spread of the virus. Since the majority of people have mild symptoms, they can stay at home.
“A lot of people have to stay at home, and I feel grateful that I can help others. We are preparing as well as we can and it’s slowly getting busier. Much of my (GP) training has been cancelled, but the most important thing is providing care to those who need it. I am really happy that I can do my job, and I think that accounts for everyone working in healthcare or other vital jobs,” asserted Sombroek.
Regarding the Tokyo Olympics postponement, Sombroek feels the ‘one and only right decision’ was made.
“I understand it was a difficult one because it is really complex. One or two months ago I still thought that it could happen, but the virus spread very quickly,” Sombroek pointed out.
“It is such an important event, and everyone works towards it for many years, so it is a shock for the athletes and people who are involved. But you want the Olympics to be fair, for everyone to be healthy and you want fans to be there. I think it is a good thing that it will be held in 2021 and not cancelled completely, which would have been devastating. It is something really positive that we can all look forward to next year, and I am sure it will be an amazing event,” added the goalkeeper.
Agencies
