After working with Koen for three years, we are thrilled to announce that this year Daan van der Heyden is taking over as a pilot. A pilot is the user of the exoskeleton and has the control over the movements he makes. Because he is new to Project MARCH we will work closely with him to listen to his expectations and wishes and integrate this in our new design.
Daan will be our twenty-sixth teammember and very important to our team. That is why we are excited to introduce him to our public.
Daan is 31 years old and lives in Gaanderen. In 2017, he suffered a spinal cord injury due to an accident on an off-road ride with his motorcycle. Before his accident Daan used to work as an orthopedic shoemaker and was an active sportsman who, among other sports, played hockey and liked to sail. Now Daan works as a volunteer in the Patient Advisory Board at SMK. Daan is also a full-time wheelchair basketball player. He plays for the Dutch team, and therefore can be found at Papendal a lot. Furthermore, Daan plays wheelchair basketball at his club in Osnabrück in Germany. Daan also likes to ride his handbike. Last year he even participated in a handbike race in Kaunertal, Austria. This was a tough trip twenty kilometres uphill with a height gain of 867 metres.
We are looking forward to work with him this year!
