Hazel Goedhart • Founder & Board Member of Tinnitus Quest
Foreword
Every Dutch person knows the name van der Valk. It’s the biggest hotel chain in the Netherlands, and from a young age all Dutch people learn to recognize its iconic logo of a Tucan bird across the country.
Imagine my surprise therefore to learn that a member of this famous family had heard of Tinnitus Quest and wanted to donate. I have since met him several times and gotten to know him as a very driven and highly compassionate man, who will do everything in his power to stop tinnitus. The tinnitus community is lucky to have an advocate and benefactor like Ben.
Ben Shares His Story
Hi, I am Ben van der Valk, 66 years of age. I am an owner and director at a large hotel chain. My tinnitus started when I was 57. While shooting clay pigeons without hearing protection, I sustained moderate hearing damage in my left ear. This triggered my tinnitus 5 years later, when I experienced a stressful situation in my personal life.
Because my tinnitus is so severe, I unfortunately had to give up my work. I could not function anymore and felt completely hopeless. I immediately made an appointment with my general practitioner, who referred me to an ENT specialist. There, I was simply told that I would have to learn to live with that terrible loud ringing in my left ear. Learn to live with it, I thought to myself — but how? I can no longer practice my profession, the job I love so much. I adore my children and grandchildren and want to be the father and grandfather they need. But this ringing makes that impossible. The most frustrating part is that there is no cure for what I have, and the days and nights are unbearable.
But I am not a quitter. “Cannot” does not exist in my vocabulary — that is my motto. So, I scoured the internet for anything that could help me, anything that might offer even the slightest relief. I tried all kinds of group and individual training programs, therapies, medications, hearing aids — you name it, I’ve tried it. I even traveled to several countries to try the latest treatments: Ireland, England, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and even the United States. But sadly, nothing brought me any relief.
My tinnitus only worsened, and with so little sleep, my body became so weakened that two years ago, I had a terrible fall, breaking my back in five places. I am still recovering from this, but the process is agonizingly slow because tinnitus makes rehabilitation extremely difficult and leaves me feeling so physically weak.
It is deeply disappointing that there is no cure for a condition that is such a widespread global problem. So many people suffer from this. That is why I support the Tinnitus Quest foundation and its founders, whom I know personally, and have donated a significant amount. There is a severe lack of funding, and I hope that others will also contribute, so that a solution can be found and more people can be helped.
I have immense respect for the people behind this foundation and trust that, with their team and vision, they will do everything in their power to find a solution for this debilitating condition.
NB: Ben’s donation consists of EUR 200.000 per year from 2025 to 2029, as laid down in a notarial agreement.
23 Comments
It is wonderful news, and I really appreciate that donation to help make a difference for people with tinnitus. We need more donations, both large and small, to support additional research. This one is truly impressive. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Ben! I have a fairly mild case of tinnitus that I got one year ago from a TMJ injury. My heart goes out to you and anyone who suffers with the more severe cases. You will be remembered in history as a great contributor to finally bringing the beauty of silence back to humanity.
Ben!
I’ve suffered from a DEBILITATING CASE OF TINNITUS for a couple of years.
It does not let me live a productive life.
I want to hug you and tell you how you made a random tinnitus sufferer feel. Your BIG DONATION gives me hope that OTHER wealthy people can also donate to Tinnitus Quest. WE NEED MORE RESEARCH! Tinnitus Quest fills a VOID.
THANK YOU, BEN!!!!
Great guy, great company. I always went there for lunch with business partners when I had a job back in the good days.
Thanks, Ben! That’s awesome and means a lot to me! Together we’ll reach our goal. Get our normal life back and enjoy the quiet.
Hi Ben, I really felt the deep distress you wrote about in your article. Your donation is very generous and gives us all real belief that this misunderstood disease can be treated in the near future!
Thank You.
This story is so moving. It’s terribly similar to my own experience with tinnitus. Just a chronic loud screech in my left ear. But I know we are SO CLOSE to a breakthrough.
Ben, people like you are the reason we will find a cure. Thank you so much for your generosity!
Thank you for the generous contribution, Ben. I’m sorry to hear about the shooting incident. A noise trauma at age 30 in 2023 left me with right-sided tinnitus and hyperacusis. I know your struggle well.
Tinnitus Quest is a very capable organization. I trust they will put your generous donation to good use to advance research for patients like us.
Thank you SO MUCH for your generosity, Ben! I’ve always wanted to be wealthy because I’m the type of person who would give it all away to great causes that have the potential to make real progress on important health problems like tinnitus. I hope to follow in your footsteps someday. So many wealthy individuals want to take their money with them to the grave, but your action is a breath of fresh air.
Incredible donation. Thank you for your support, you are making a fighting difference for us all. Truly appreciated.
Thank you Ben, so much thank you. I do not know how to really show my gratitude by words. Thank you Ben.
Ben, you’re a gem. Hope you’re doing ok and send much kindness and support in your direction.
Ben, your generosity is touching. Support like this will be essential to curing tinnitus. Much love from myself and fellow tinnitus sufferers.
Thank you, Ben! I’m sorry that you’re suffering too. I deeply understood every word you said. I donate what I can each month because both big and small donations are what we need to reach our goal together. So let’s allow Ben to inspire us to give what we can and to never give up. We can help ourselves.
Thank you, Ben, for your generous donations to Tinnitus Quest. There really is a severe lack of funding for research, and your donations will go a long way toward eventually finding an effective treatment. Hopefully, many people will read your story and better understand the effect that tinnitus has on quality of life and the need for funding for research.
Ben, thank you for your incredible generosity! My husband, Georg, has suffered from severe tinnitus since the age of 29. He’s now 61. It’s hard to believe that there are still no treatments for this nefarious and disabling condition. Your story and donation give me hope that one day we’ll find a cure. Sending warm hugs from America to you.
I can relate. Hang in there. You will, very slowly, start to feel better, and one day you will realize that you have actually learned to live with it. Thank you for the generous donation, and thank you to the Tinnitus Quest organizers.
I’ve been hearing this very loud, monstrous noise in my ears for over a decade.
Last year, I was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer.
I do not have long to live, and I will never get to hear silence.
I am deeply grateful to Ben van der Valk for donating so much money to this cause. Future generations will be immensely lucky to have better treatments.
Ben, I love you. Thank you.
Voost,
I am so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I really hope that however much time you have left is filled with peace. And that your next journey is a beautiful one, whenever that day comes.
Love from Chicago,
Michelle
Thank you so much Ben!!
It is thanks to people like you that such suffering will eventually stop from happening in the future.
I have had tinnitus for 16 years, almost half my life, and in that timeline Tinnitus Quest is the most promising initiative I have seen when it comes to challenging the status quo. Thank you again for believing in it too and making it possible to carry on.
Tinnitus can be so devastating as you clearly describe. I do suffer too, but in a milder way, I guess, but it is the most challenging thing I have encountered in my life so far. I do know other people who have the same severity as you do, so I understand the impact. Hopefully, your donation helps to take the field major steps forward. I am also donating; hopefully, everybody who reads this will do the same.
Ich bin zutiefst dankbar lieber Ben!
Gemeinsam werden wir unser Ziel erreichen, diese Spende wird uns einen grossen Schritt weiter bringen! Ein herzliches Dankeschön an Sie und die Organisatoren von Tinnitus Quest für all eure hoffnungsbringende Mühe!
Ich habe grosses Vertrauen, Ihr macht das wirklich super!
Herzliche Grüsse aus der Schweiz.
World would be a better place if there were more people like Ben. Thank you for your generosity!
Let ‘s hope that our suffering will end soon!