Experience, knowledge, and collaboration: the mission of SuperheldenHulphond®

Why SuperheldenHulphond® is more than a webshop

On expertise based on experience, knowledge sharing, and advocacy

People who know SuperheldenHulphond® often know the webshop.

They know Iris.

They see the products, the blogs, the teaching materials, the informative messages, and perhaps even the music that has by now become part of the project.

But what many people don't know is that SuperheldenHulphond® didn't start with a webshop.

It didn't start with a logo either.

It didn't even start with an assistance dog.

It started with something that had been a part of my life for much longer.

Standing up for myself.

And later for others as well.

Advocacy before it had a name

I never imagined I wanted to become an advocate.

In fact, for years I was mainly focused on surviving.

By finding my place in a world that does not always seem designed for people who function differently, are ill, or are dependent on support.

In those years, I ran into many things.

I know what it feels like not to be heard.

I know how it feels when others make decisions about your life without really listening to your experiences.

I know what it feels like to be dependent on systems that have a major influence on your daily life.

I know what it feels like to run into rules that seem logical on paper but turn out very differently in practice.

And I also know how it feels when you simply don't have the energy to fight the same battle over and over again.

That is precisely why I started asking questions more and more often.

Why is it like this?

Can't this be done differently?

What does the law actually say?

What does practice say?

And why do those two sometimes not connect?

I didn't do that because I wanted to be difficult.

I did that because I wanted to understand.

And because I believe that you can only improve something when you understand why it is the way it is.

The lessons of everyday life

Much of what I know today, I did not learn from books.

I learned it by living it.

I know what it is like to run into walls as a mother for years.

I know how it feels when circumstances exclude you from things that are taken for granted by other parents.

I know how complicated it can be to navigate agencies, organizations, and systems with an assistance dog.

I know what it is like to have conversations with schools, municipalities, care providers, insurers, the police, and other agencies.

I know how it feels when an assistance dog, on which you depend every day, is called into question.

I know how it feels when others judge a situation of which they only see a small part.

Those are experiences you don't learn during a course.

But they do offer a unique perspective on what people encounter in practice.

Not only assistance dog users.

But also parents.

People with disabilities.

People who are dependent on care.

And people who do not naturally know their way around complex systems.

A way to stay in the game

Due to my health, I am limited in what I can do.

At the same time, I am someone who enjoys learning, researching, and developing, and wants to contribute something to society.

For years, I searched for a way in which that was possible.

Not in a regular job.

But in a way that suits my capabilities.

When I decided to start my own business, it turned out not to be straightforward.

A lengthy process with the UWV followed before there was room for that.

Ultimately, a structure emerged in which I could remain active, share knowledge, develop products, and set up projects, without this immediately coming at the expense of my livelihood.

But perhaps even more importantly: it gave me the opportunity to remain relevant.

To keep busy.

To develop myself.

To use my knowledge and experience for something bigger than myself.

Not because becoming an entrepreneur was my dream.

But because I was looking for a way to keep participating.

To be useful.

To give something back to society.

And to show that a disability does not mean you have nothing left to offer.

SuperheroAssistanceDog® was created

What started as a way to stay active slowly grew into something much bigger.

SuperheldenHulphond® became a place where different parts of my life came together.

My experiences as an assistance dog user.

My experiences as a mother.

My background as a pharmacy assistant.

My interest in animal health, behavior, and training.

My need to make knowledge accessible.

And my wish to improve things for the people who come after me.

As a result, SuperheldenHulphond® became more than a webshop.

It became a platform.

A place where experiences, knowledge, and practice meet.

A place where questions may be asked.

Where information is shared.

Where solutions emerge from practice.

And where people can find each other.

Experience and knowledge

Over the years, I have continued to develop myself.

Not because I wanted to collect titles.

But because I believe that good advocacy begins with knowledge.

The more I learned about animal health, behavior, training, welfare, and the partnership between humans and dogs, the better I could contextualize and substantiate my experiences.

That is why I am taking courses.

That is why I read professional literature.

That is why I engage in dialogue with trainers, veterinarians, behavioral therapists, schools, organizations, and other professionals.

After all, I believe that expertise based on experience is valuable.

But also that knowledge and experience reinforce each other.

It is precisely at that intersection that the best solutions often emerge.

Not because one party is right.

But because different perspectives come together.

It is not about me

People sometimes think that you have to be visible to make an impact.

I see that differently.

If you search for me on the internet, you will probably come across my face less often than you would expect.

That is no coincidence.

I don't need to become famous.

I don't need to be in the spotlight.

I don't need to be a famous name.

For me, it is not about me.

It is about the topics.

For the people.

For the knowledge.

For the change.

If an article, teaching package, conversation, or product makes a difference without anyone knowing who made it, then I think that's fine.

Perhaps even more beautiful.

Because ultimately, it is not about the person delivering the message.

It is about the message itself.

Why I use my voice

There are many people who run into the same problems as I do.

People with disabilities.

People who are dependent on care.

People who simply don't have the energy to explain over and over again why something doesn't work.

People who are tired of fighting.

People who are not heard.

I was not chosen on their behalf.

I don't speak for everyone, either.

Everyone has their own story.

But by now I have learned how to ask questions.

How I need to gather information.

How to conduct a conversation.

How I can make a problem visible.

And if I can use those skills to open doors for others, I will gladly do so.

Not because I like to lead the way.

But because I know how important it is that someone listens.

Seeking solutions together

In recent years, I have learned that change rarely comes about because people take opposing positions.

Most progress occurs when people are willing to listen to each other.

Users have practical experience.

Professionals have expertise.

Organizations have a different perspective again.

None of those perspectives is entirely self-contained.

That is precisely why I believe in collaboration.

I don't expect the whole world to adapt to me.

Just as I cannot expect every professional to automatically understand what it is like to live with an assistance dog every day.

Understanding works both ways.

That also means that I try not to view situations solely from my own perspective.

Why does an organization make certain choices?

What interests are at play?

What information might be missing?

What challenges is the other party experiencing?

Only when you are willing to understand that side as well, does space open up for a real conversation.

Practical example: collaboration between expertise based on experience and professional knowledge

A great example of this is the article I had the pleasure of writing for the ABHB's Trim Magazine.

Instead of offering criticism from the sidelines, I was given the opportunity to share practical experiences in a trade journal for professionals.

Not to tell you how it should be done.

Not to convince anyone.

But to make visible a perspective that many trimmers do not encounter on a daily basis.

To me, that is exactly what advocacy is about.

Not about being right.

Not about waging war.

But about sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, and working together to find solutions that work for everyone.

Because ultimately, we often want the same thing:

More understanding.

Better cooperation.

And a society in which people can participate as independently as possible.

Or as the old saying goes:

You catch more flies with syrup than with vinegar.

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Why I keep doing this

I don't need to become famous.

I don't have to be the face of a movement.

What I do want is for the people who come after me to perhaps have it just a little bit easier.

Because I know what it feels like to get stuck.

Because I know what it feels like to have to fight for years for things that should actually be taken for granted.

Because I know how much impact it has when you are not heard.

And because I simply don't begrudge it to others.

If a conversation helps a professional understand a little better what an assistance dog team needs, then that is a win.

If a school decides to look at a situation differently, that is a gain.

If an organization is willing to listen to experiences from practice, that is a gain.

If someone feels less alone because their story is finally recognized, that is a win.

Sometimes change is not found in big actions.

Sometimes change lies in the fact that someone is finally heard.

And if I can contribute to that, that is more than enough reason for me to continue.

That is ultimately what SuperheldenHulphond® means to me.

Not only products.

Not just a webshop.

But a place where experience, knowledge, creativity, and commitment come together.

A place where people can be heard.

A place where questions may be asked.

And a place where an attempt is made to make the world a little bit more accessible for the people who need it most.

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Not because it is about me, but because everyone deserves a voice.