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Terminally ill woman's dying wish to see Rembrandt exhibition granted by Dutch charity

Four patients were able to enjoy the exhibition in a private viewing

Kashmira Gander
Thursday 05 March 2015 19:11 GMT
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Dutch King Willem Alexander (L) and museum director Wim Pijbes (R) pose beside a painting entitled 'Self Portrait with two circles' by Dutch master Rembrandt during the official opening of the new exhibition of late works by Rembrandt at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam on February 12, 2015.
Dutch King Willem Alexander (L) and museum director Wim Pijbes (R) pose beside a painting entitled 'Self Portrait with two circles' by Dutch master Rembrandt during the official opening of the new exhibition of late works by Rembrandt at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam on February 12, 2015. (Koen van Weel/AFP/Getty Images)

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A dying woman’s wish to see a Rembrandt exhibition has been granted by a Dutch charity.

The unnamed 78-year-old woman was wheeled into Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum on a hospital bed, and was able to enjoy a hugely popular exhibition of Rembrandt paintings in a private viewing yesterday.

The unnamed woman who suffers from motor neurone disease - also known as ALS - was among three other terminally ill patients taken to the museum this week, by the Ambulance Wish Foundation charity.

The patients visited the museum after hours, allowing them to avoid the crowds who have flocked to see the Rembrandt show in the Dutch capital.

Kees Veldboer, a former ambulance driver, set up the Ambulance Wish Foundation, or St.Ambulance Wens , in 2007.

Since then, the charity has helped nearly 6,000 people fulfill their dying wishes.

Veldboer said on Thursday the woman “was very happy to be able to enjoy it in peace for the last time.”

Dutch King Willem Alexander (left) and museum director Wim Pijbes pose beside a painting entitled 'Self Portrait with two circles' by Dutch master Rembrandt (Getty Images)
Dutch King Willem Alexander (left) and museum director Wim Pijbes pose beside a painting entitled 'Self Portrait with two circles' by Dutch master Rembrandt (Getty Images) (Koen van Weel/AFP/Getty Images)

The Rembrandt exhibition was opened in February by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, the Late Rembrandt exhibition includes more than 100 works painted by the artist between 1651 and his death in 1669.

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