The Antoni van Leeuwenhoekziekenhuis is a

hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

, the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, that specialises in

oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''ó ...

: the diagnosis and treatment of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

. The hospital forms one half of a combined organisation with the

Netherlands Cancer Institute The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) in Amsterdam was founded in 1913 by, among others, the surgeon Jacob Rotgans. The NKI, together with the Antoni van Leeuwenhoekziekenhuis, is formed into the NKI-AVL, which combines a scientific research ins ...

(NKI), the NKI-AVL. The NKI-AVL is located in Amsterdam-Slotervaart at the Plesmanlaan next to the

Slotervaartziekenhuis Slotervaartziekenhuis was a hospital in the Slotervaart neighbourhood of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It went into administration in October 2018, and was closed within days. History It was founded in 1975 as a municipal general hospital. It was ...

and the Amsterdam

blood bank A blood bank is a center where blood gathered as a result of blood donation is stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion. The term "blood bank" typically refers to a department of a hospital usually within a Clinical Pathology laborat ...

(Sanquin). The hospital is named after

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Antonie Philips van Leeuwenhoek ( ; ; 24 October 1632 – 26 August 1723) was a Dutch microbiologist and microscopist in the Golden Age of Dutch science and technology. A largely self-taught man in science, he is commonly known as " the F ...

(1632–1723), who is primarily known in the medical community as one of the first successful developers of

microscope A microscope () is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisibl ...

History

Surgeon and professor Jacob Rotgans, publisher J.H. de Bussy and pathology professor W.M. de Vries took the initiative in founding the hospital in 1913, right after the formation of the Netherlands Cancer Institute. A national

fundraising Fundraising or fund-raising is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gathe ...

campaign was held for a new oncological institute. By 26 May 1914, 315,000

Dutch guilders The guilder ( nl, gulden, ) or florin was the currency of the Netherlands from the 15th century until 2002, when it was replaced by the euro. The Dutch name ''gulden'' was a Middle Dutch adjective meaning "golden", and reflects the fact that, wh ...

had been raised, that were partially invested in founding a clinic named the "Antoni van Leeuwenhoek-huis" at the Keizersgracht in Amsterdam. Initially, there was room for a maximum of seventeen patients. In 1929, the organisation relocated to the former Military Hospital at the

Sarphatistraat The Sarphatistraat is a street in the center of Amsterdam between Frederiksplein and Oostenburgergracht at the Cruquiuskade. The street crosses the Amstel and forms an almost long connection between the southern part of the Grachtengordel and the ...

. After all NKI research departments had been established in Slotervaart since 1979, the hospital was moved there as well.

References

External links

Official website

Historad. 100 jaar radiotherapie in het Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1913-2016)
Hospitals in the Netherlands Cancer hospitals Organisations based in Amsterdam Antonie van Leeuwenhoek {{Europe-hospital-stub