Three sisters, one mindset: “Less talking, more doing”
At Vebego, family members often work together, but the story of Jacqueline, Sandra and Eveline has an extra layer. Three sisters, working side by side on the same workplace for many years, sharing the same values and the same sense of responsibility. And, like any real family: with highs, difficult moments and a strong bond that endures.
Strong together in the hospital
For many years, all three sisters worked for Vebego at Maasstad Hospital. Jacqueline and Sandra as team leaders, Eveline as assistant team leader. Eveline now works as a team leader at Erasmus Hospital. “Sandra and I work together four days a week,” Jacqueline explains. “We do exactly the same job, in the same location. People here even call us the Siamese twins.” Sandra laughs: “And it’s only getting worse. People sometimes say, ‘Hey, weren’t you just here?’ Then I have to explain they’ve just seen my sister.” Even when Eveline still worked at Maasstad, it caused confusion. “I’d be standing in the lift and someone would say, ‘Hey love, have you dyed your hair?’ They thought I was Eef,” Jacqueline recalls. Sandra adds: “And now that she’s gone, colleagues still ask, ‘How’s the red‑haired one doing?’”
When work and family overlap
Working together for so many years creates a strong bond, but it also makes change more sensitive. Eveline speaks openly about her move. “I was working as an assistant team leader at Maasstad Hospital and got the opportunity to become a team leader at another location. It was a great step, so I took it. But it did mean leaving my sisters behind.” For Jacqueline, this came at a difficult time. “Of course I understood her choice, but the timing was terrible. My husband was ill, our core team was changing, and then she left too. That really hit me.” Sandra becomes emotional when she looks back on that period. “We simply needed each other. That decision really knocked us. There were tears on all sides. In the end, we needed time to let things sink in.” Jacqueline nods. “You have to see it this way: you work together for over 20 years, you’re family, our work is also our home, our responsibility. You have to move forward and at some point use your common sense again. That’s also our strength.”
Warmth, clarity and no fuss
By now, the sisters have all adjusted to the new situation. Eveline looks back fondly on her time at Maasstad. “Most people there have worked together for a very long time. There’s a real family atmosphere - a warm feeling.” She’s very direct about it: “At Vebego, it’s simple. You either work there for years - sometimes your whole life - or only for a very short time. There’s no in-between. You either fit in or you don’t. And you usually know straight away.” Jacqueline adds: “It’s less talking, more doing. Equality is incredibly important. If you try to put yourself above others, it just doesn’t work. It’s about togetherness. That’s not a trick, or the odd compliment - it’s a feeling.”
Values that are the same at home and at work
The three sisters grew up in a warm family where people are always there for one another. That’s exactly the same mindset they experience at Vebego. “I’ve literally seen situations where replacement staff had to be arranged just ten minutes before a shift,” Sandra says. “All it takes is one phone call and someone shows up - no fuss. My husband still finds that remarkable, especially at weekends.” Eveline adds: “And that’s how it is in our family too. You’re simply there for each other.”
Until retirement - and beyond
How long the sisters will continue working at Vebego, they don’t know. Sandra: “I’ll stay in this chair until I retire, that’s for sure.” Jacqueline: “I can’t imagine us not working together. But one of us will stop earlier and the other will see it through. I walked in here as a young girl and I’ll walk out as an old woman - haha!” She says it with a wink. But also with pride.
