Bettina: “A person with a disability is just a human being too”

And so it happened that Bettina became a model for Muziekgebouw Eindhoven’s new awareness campaign by the organisation Eindhoven Toegankelijk. “I really wanted to take the photo at a place I’ve been visiting with great pleasure for years, where I’ve made so many wonderful memories.” Bettina, a big fan of artists like David Bowie and Lou Reed, was already there when Perfect Day singer Reed performed at what was then called the Muziekcentrum in 2000. “By pure chance, I ended up with a backstage pass. At first, I didn’t dare go — I’m a bit of a scaredy-cat — but eventually, I went backstage through the artist entrance. There, I had a lovely conversation with Lou.” And one thing led to another. Bettina became friends with the American singer. They stayed in touch often and even shared meals regularly. Bettina also took care of his website. “Actually, I owe that special friendship to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven,” she laughs. “And I still love coming there!”

Public transport

In the years that followed, Bettina became increasingly dependent on her wheelchair. Does that mean she’s constantly preoccupied with the topic of “accessibility”? Bettina: “I’m not thinking about it every day, but I do deal with it every day.” That calls for some extra explanation. “I can’t go everywhere with my wheelchair. Sometimes it’s because the location itself is poorly accessible for me, but more often it’s because I’m dependent on public transport.” And that often proves to be quite a challenge. “If I go to a concert in Amsterdam, I usually can’t get home the same night. I have to book a hotel in Utrecht because Amsterdam is far too expensive and often poorly accessible as well. Only the next day can I make my way home. Luckily, I don’t have that problem when I go to a concert in Eindhoven!” 

Experience

By now, Bettina has also learned which venues are simply not worth visiting. “Sometimes you have to sit all the way at the back of the hall with your wheelchair, and then you just can’t see a thing. And people at the back are often chatting with each other. You don’t feel like part of the concert experience, and that’s just really disappointing.” That’s why she’s very positive about the designated wheelchair spots at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. “There, you can really experience the concert from a good spot. Although at a standing concert, I do sometimes need a bit of luck that no tall person ends up standing right in front of me.”

“I got along with him really well”

Bettina was lovingly married to her husband for many years. This changed when he passed away rather suddenly seven years ago. “That made things quite a bit harder for me. Now that he’s no longer here, I’ve had to figure out a lot of things all over again. “I got along with him really well — it was so natural for him to help me, which was just wonderful. After he passed away, I still needed that help. So that’s when I turned to home care services.” Exactly one year after his passing, in 2019, Bettina attended a Nick Cave concert at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. “Cave also spoke about the loss of his son. And when he played Into Your Arms, everything just came together in such a beautiful way. It was an extraordinary experience — hearing him speak so openly about his own encounters with grief, exactly one year after my husband’s passing.”

Attention

Bettina hopes that people will become more aware of those with physical disabilities, as this could resolve many challenges. “That we can travel on public transport without worries. That we can take a lift upstairs. That we can simply use a toilet somewhere without any issues. That would already be wonderful.” But Bettina’s hopes for change go beyond accessibility alone. “Often, people don’t speak to me directly, but to the carer who’s with me. Apparently, some people think that if you’re in a wheelchair, you can’t have a conversation yourself — it’s really quite strange. It would be great if people realized that a person with a disability is just a human being too!”

• Bettina occasionally uses the alias Jack in the Eindhoven Toegankelijk campaign, an honorable nod to the alter ego of her great idol, David Bowie.