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Doctor Van der Vaart receives Royal Decoration 

MD Van der Vaart after receiving the decoration from Island Governor Rijna

KRALENDIJK- Theodorus Aloysius Marie “Dick” van der Vaart HAS received a royal decoration from Lieutenant Governor Edison Rijna on Saturday. It is a token of gratitude for everything he has done for the community of Bonaire.

Before retiring, Van der Vaart was director and independent general practitioner at the Centro Médico Central Bonaire, director of a hyperbaric center, diving doctor, teacher and musician. Van der Vaart was the driving force behind the construction of a recompression chamber realized on Bonaire, based on the growth of the diving industry. However, the chamber can also be used for various other treatments, for example when it comes to wound healing in certain patients. By realizing this hyperbaric center, Van der Vaart has successfully saved many lives, prevented amputations for many people and also made Bonaire a popular destination that is safe for diving tourism.

Decoration

There is an option to choose to receive a Royal Decoration at the general ceremony together with other decoranduses or on a special occasion. Because Van der Vaart held a symposium on recompression chambers, a few people from Van der Vaart’s immediate environment chose to surprise him on that occasion.

In view of Van der Vaart’s special merits, King Willem Alexander has appointed Van der Vaart as Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau. Lieutenant Governor Edison Rijna congratulated Van der Vaart on the achievement.

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