Crown Princess Mary, Current Events Part 13: August 2016 - May 2018

[Roskilde]

Today, Mary has driven to Aarhus University Hospital where she participates in the inauguration of the extension of TrygFonden's Family house.

The very first pictures:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-P7imPXgAA-U9r.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-P3jJuW0AATL1O.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-QHsn_XsAEwe3l.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-P8LjeXUAAEwr0.jpg

Read information about Mary's event today here:
http://kongehuset.dk/nyheder/indviel...ens-familiehus

Crown Princess Mary and the brilliant Danish Hospitals Clowns:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTTrHEFhqPq/

[Muhler]

Thanks, Roskilde.

From an architectural point of view it's a very interesting building. Looking from above it's shaped like an S.

It's very appropriately placed as a part of the local Aarhus University Hospital complex, locally better known as Skejby Sygehus (sygehus = house for the sick = krankenhaus). Next year some 20.000 will work and live in the hospital complex, which makes it bigger than most towns in Denmark. (Only some 33 towns and cities are bigger) - And it's growing, because the other departments of Aarhus University Hospital will eventually relocate here. - So it wont be the last time we'll see the DRF here.

A BB article: Kronprinsesse Mary imponeret over nyt familiehus | BILLED-BLADET

Apparently it was Mary who inaugurated the house five years ago.
The purpose of the family house is for families with children to live with (as far as possible) or at least to stay close to children who are committed to the hospital, either for specialized treatment - or because they are critically ill...

I guess Mary got inside pretty fast! Lots of rain and hail today and looking out the window it was snowing a few minutes ago! Albeit only tøsne = thaw-snow - yes, unsurprisingly we have quite a few words for snow here in DK.

[polyesco]

wonderful!

gallery from the DRF
H.K.H. Kronprinsessen TrygFondens Familiehus | Kongehuset

and video
https://www.facebook.com/aarhusunive...0505639639776/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTTiiaYA...nprinsessemary

[Roskilde]

Originally Posted by polyesco

Wonderful!

and video
https://www.facebook.com/aarhusunive...0505639639776/

A very lovely video from Mary's visit at the hospital today
"Welcome Maryyyyyy...."

Isn't this a delightful picture?
https://www.facebook.com/detdanskeko...type=3&theater

**

Gallery from Aarhus' newspaper:
http://stiften.dk/article_gallery/450003

On the DRF's official Facebook can you read comments from some of the children's parents after Mary's visit:

https://www.facebook.com/detdanskeko...72143163124270


"Fantastic experience for the kids to have such a nice visit.
1000 thank you for your heart warmth and the time you gave the kids."

"Mary radiates-love-�� It's touching to see the time she always gives to children, the elderly and the people."

"She was/is amazingly present ... so great an experience for my children."

"Our children were lucky to show the interactive floor for the Crown Princess."

"The time Crown Princess Mary always takes to children and people are praiseworthy! ♥ ️ ♥ ️ She's never busy, but often stays way longer than the program was planned. It means so much to people."

"It was touching to experience H.R.H. Crown Princess Mary with the children �� Thank you for your heartwarming being and commitment."

[dazzling]

A nice event for Mary and lovely to see her so naturally interacting with the children and families. Interesting that she is back opening an extension a few years later.

[Muhler]

I wonder if you are able to watch this clip outside DK: http://www.tv2østjylland.dk/artikel/...iehus-i-skejby

[iSnowwhite]

Originally Posted by Muhler

I wonder if you are able to watch this clip outside DK: http://www.tv2østjylland.dk/artikel/...iehus-i-skejby

Yes I can [emoji1360] thank you.

[annekasmum]

Originally Posted by Muhler

I wonder if you are able to watch this clip outside DK: http://www.tv2østjylland.dk/artikel/...iehus-i-skejby

Yes thanks, I can in the UK

[Muhler]

Cool.

Then I can tell you about the family Mary is briefly seen sitting at a table with.
They are in particular grateful for the family house being expanded with ten new rooms to 22 rooms, as they have spend more than 100 nights in the family house.
Their 15 months old daughter has been treated for cancer and as such has had to undergo repeated treatment at AUH (Aarhus University Hospital). The child has now been cured but still undergo regular check-ups.

The family comes from northern Zealand, and that's 1½-2½ hours by ferry and car from AUH and with another child, this means they could spend much more time together as a family during a very difficult time. Including doing mundane but still important family things as cooking their own meals.

Towards the end Mary talks about the visit. And as usual her Danish is high-level. Not academic or technical, (not in this case) but advanced everyday Danish. You very rarely hear her speak "simple" Danish. - I hope you get my meaning.
ADDED: Debate-level is IMO the best definition.

[Muhler]

Another heartwarming story - well, sort of - from yesterday in BT: Mary besøgte syge børn: Og pludselig tog lille Niclas hendes hånd | BT Danmark - www.bt.dk

Notice the two children in the photo.
During the speeches the boy, Niclas, came up to Mary and took her hand. He was later joined by the girl, Alva. (I notice in the photos that she stayed close to Mary a lot of the time). Both of them have a sibling suffering from a heart disease.

Vinni Stenholt, who is the head of the family house, explains that the siblings to sick children are often overlooked. They are labelled "shadow-children".
"They become shadow-children, because understandably there is a big focus on the sick child. They can become a little introvert and feel that there problems aren't big enough to be taken seriously. Often they don't want to upset their parents more than they already are, so they often go around hiding issues away. That's why it's good that they at the family hose can create relations to other adults and talk about their problems".

50 volunteers are attached to the house and they arrange outings and activities for the healthy siblings. - "That gives them the opportunity to get friends and being children, rather than just sitting around at the hospital".

A British study indicates that children to seriously ill siblings run a bigger risk of having depressions and a lower self-esteem than average.

"She was simply so present and incredibly listening. The stories made a big impression on her and her schedule slipped, so that she ended up being here much longer than planned. She gave everyone a fantastic experience by her presence".

------------------

Our son was for a period seriously ill as a baby, but I've fortunately never experienced anything as serious as the parents to the children we have seen here, so I wonder about the reason why the two children walked up to Mary.
They would have understood that Mary, as the Crown Princess, is a special and very important person. Perhaps almost magic, certainly someone with some kind of "power". (not understanding what focus and influence is).
So did they walk up to her seeking some kind of help, i.e. reaching out to her?
Or is it because of Mary's personality? - Children and dogs instinctively read people very well.

Does it make sense, what I'm trying to say?

---------------

ADDED: A nice 35 pic gallery: http://aarhus.lokalavisen.dk/apps/pb...6009999&Ref=PH

Look at the eyes of the children, no small children should have that look in their eyes.

-------------

ADDED: And a BB video. http://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelige...-alt-om-sygdom
I see it's Ken Richter who is covering the event, so we can expect a detailed and factual coverage in the next issue.

[annekasmum]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Cool.

Then I can tell you about the family Mary is briefly seen sitting at a table with.
They are in particular grateful for the family house being expanded with ten new rooms to 22 rooms, as they have spend more than 100 nights in the family house.
Their 15 months old daughter has been treated for cancer and as such has had to undergo repeated treatment at AUH (Aarhus University Hospital). The child has now been cured but still undergo regular check-ups.

The family comes from northern Zealand, and that's 1½-2½ hours by ferry and car from AUH and with another child, this means they could spend much more time together as a family during a very difficult time. Including doing mundane but still important family things as cooking their own meals.

Towards the end Mary talks about the visit. And as usual her Danish is high-level. Not academic or technical, (not in this case) but advanced everyday Danish. You very rarely hear her speak "simple" Danish. - I hope you get my meaning.
ADDED: Debate-level is IMO the best definition.

Thank-you for this as I can't understand a word of Danish!

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Another heartwarming story - well, sort of - from yesterday in BT: Mary besøgte syge børn: Og pludselig tog lille Niclas hendes hånd | BT Danmark - www.bt.dk

"She was simply so present and incredibly listening. The stories made a big impression on her and her schedule slipped, so that she ended up being here much longer than planned. She gave everyone a fantastic experience by her presence".

------------------
I wonder about the reason why the two children walked up to Mary.
They would have understood that Mary, as the Crown Princess, is a special and very important person. Perhaps almost magic, certainly someone with some kind of "power". (not understanding what focus and influence is).
So did they walk up to her seeking some kind of help, i.e. reaching out to her?
Or is it because of Mary's personality? - Children and dogs instinctively read people very well.
.

Children and dogs do, yes. I would say it's mostly about her personality.

Over the years, there have been many photos of children touching her, holding her hand and getting close to her. And most of them have been children who are not sick or in the situation you describe.

[Roskilde]

One more lovely gallery :)

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...35227816664642

Originally Posted by Muhler

Another heartwarming story - well, sort of - from yesterday in BT: Mary besøgte syge børn: Og pludselig tog lille Niclas hendes hånd | BT Danmark - www.bt.dk

Notice the two children in the photo.
During the speeches the boy, Niclas, came up to Mary and took her hand. He was later joined by the girl, Alva. (I notice in the photos that she stayed close to Mary a lot of the time). Both of them have a sibling suffering from a heart disease.

Vinni Stenholt, who is the head of the family house, explains that the siblings to sick children are often overlooked. They are labelled "shadow-children".
"They become shadow-children, because understandably there is a big focus on the sick child. They can become a little introvert and feel that there problems aren't big enough to be taken seriously. Often they don't want to upset their parents more than they already are, so they often go around hiding issues away. That's why it's good that they at the family hose can create relations to other adults and talk about their problems".

50 volunteers are attached to the house and they arrange outings and activities for the healthy siblings. - "That gives them the opportunity to get friends and being children, rather than just sitting around at the hospital".

A British study indicates that children to seriously ill siblings run a bigger risk of having depressions and a lower self-esteem than average.

"She was simply so present and incredibly listening. The stories made a big impression on her and her schedule slipped, so that she ended up being here much longer than planned. She gave everyone a fantastic experience by her presence".

(...)

This tells a lot about Mary.
I always remember I read after her many events that she ends up being there far longer than the official program was planned. Sometimes up to an hour longer if there is mood for it.
It's such a 'little thing' that mean the world to the involved people, but only us those who follow the royals closely would now. It's not an information which reaches out the the general Dane... That's both a great thing and a pity.

[Muhler]

From Daily Mail: Princess Mary carries balloon flowers around hospital | Daily Mail Online

[Roskilde]

Ypu should take you time to read the comments at BT's article after Mary's visit at the sick children at Aarhus University Hospital:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...35227816664642

They tell a lot about Mary's personality and 'status' here in Denmark.
I guess Facebook will translate for all those who did not read Danish.
I'm quite busy right now, but I will return to my post later

[iceflower]

.

All posts about Crown Princess Mary attending the joint project of the Mary Foundation and the Danish Red Cross yesterday have been moved to the following thread:

** Crown Princess Mary and The Mary Foundation (Launched September 11, 2007) **

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #18, 2017.
Written by Ken Richter.

As you know Mary recently went to Aarhus to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Family House sponsored by the Tryg Foundation.
The house has been a success and as such recently ten new rooms for individual families have been added, for a total of 22.
More than 50 volunteers help around the house in all sorts of capacities. Going from playing with siblings to sick children to simply baking cakes.

Do you remember me writing about the girl with the serious eyes, who stayed close to Mary?
That was seven year old Alva, both her older brother and a younger sister has been committed to Aarhus University Hospital being treated for ailments in their hearts.

A family for whom this place has been almost a second home is the Hedengran family. They stayed for more than four months while their son underwent treatment. They told: "We still come here when we are invited to events and the children automatically go to the room we lived in".

The head nurse for the Ward for Children and Young, Marie Rosberg said: "The families find a calm place and that helps the sick children in coping with the treatments, when they can be with their families in safe homely surroundings close to the hospital".

Mary said to our reporter after the visit: "Here are some safe and caring surroundings. They help keeping the families together during a very difficult time".

-------------

And here are the scans for this week. For the fun of it I also included an article about the Reedtz-Thott family living at Gavnø Manor. This is where Mary first stayed when she came to DK.
Unsurprisingly they remain very close to M&F.
Gavnø Manor is a very lovely place. You couldn't get a more scenic introduction to DK.
BB #18, 2017
And the location of the manor: https://app.box.com/s/fkemt8bo33udrz3q6tw05hk62m7zp64k

--------
ADDED: Here is photo of Mary at Gavnø Manor: http://www.billedbladet.dk/sites/bil.../bb-531847.jpg

[polyesco]

wonderful that there are places like these to support the families going through difficult time.

and thanks for the scans and map Muhler, always helpful

[camelot23ca]

Very interesting. Thanks to everyone who posted information. I like the way that Mary always makes a point of interacting with people on a meaningful level. She doesn't just show up and shake a few hands. And she's been doing it consistently for many years now. Also, whenever she talks about her interests and projects it's clear she knows her stuff and has made an actual commitment to these issues. That's the sort of work you need to do if you want to be truly respected in a modern monarchy, IMO, and Mary has managed it perfectly.

I enjoy the superficial aspects of monarchy watching as much as anyone but I have to say that I don't especially relate to or respect the royals who make speeches, wave and go home. Mary, OTOH, has managed to carve out meaningful work for herself. As a woman a little younger than her and with a career myself, I could see her being a great mentor.

[iceflower]

.

Crown Princess Mary officially opened Arla Foods Global Innovation Centre in Aarhus today, May 16:



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 **


** kongehuset.dk gallery ** landbrugsavisen.dk gallery **


** tv2ostjylland.dk: VIDEO: Mary var i Aarhus for at indvie innovations-center **