Eva Oakwood

Mental coach, Experience expert

1 hour

NL

Inspire,
Motivate,
Dealing with adversity

Eva Eikhout can now be booked with ShowBird. With her work as a programmer and presenter Eva knows how to bring all kinds of social issues to light in a humorous way. With her lectures she is able to inspire people by telling them about the obstacles she has or has not overcome because of her physical disability, combined with a good dose of self-mockery and an instructive message.

EVA EIKHOUT
Eva is a program maker and presenter at BNNVARA, among others, as well as a day chairperson, moderator and motivational speaker. In both 2016 and 2023 she delivered a successful TEDxTalk and she also has extensive experience as a moderator at meetings for various companies, ministries, municipalities, RadboudUMC and Rabobank, among others. In the spring of 2024 her first book "This is not a book by a girl without arms & legs" was published. Eva has her own apartment in Amsterdam after years of living in rooms in Nijmegen. In late 2025, she entered the theater with her first show of her own, "Het Leven Is Kort, Net Als Ik."

On March 9, 1996, Eva was the first of three daughters to be born core healthy with a limb abnormality. She has no hands, no elbows and no knees. Eva grew up in Groesbeek, near Nijmegen. There is no lack of zest for life. She used her electric wheelchair to go everywhere, she made friends easily and was able to keep up in regular school. Until she goes to high school and at the age of 16 wants her arms and legs back... But unfortunately, life doesn't work like that. She seeks help and, as a result, encounters a form of grief called "living loss": namely, she doesn't have something (full arms and legs) and she never will. Over the years, this remains a recurring theme. She discovers that the world does not adapt to her, so she teaches herself to dance with the bureaucratic systems and manages to keep control (which she does not have) herself in creative ways. She also discovers that everyone is limited in some way. After all, you don't have to have a physical limitation to be limited. However, the trick is to make sure that you stay in control, because only then will you achieve your goals.

Eva tells in a humorous way about her life in a world made for people with arms and legs. Using home, garden and kitchen situations, she takes her audience into her story about personal leadership, resilience, adaptability and everyday challenges. Without pointing accusing fingers (because she doesn't have any) or comparing herself to others (because that is pointless) she holds up a mirror to her audience. Because everyone struggles with an internal or external limitation from time to time. About fighting your environment and becoming friends with yourself: Eva Eikhout.

As chairman of the day, Eva knows how to ask the right questions in a sharp way and can bring different types of issues to the essence in a creative way. She also does not hesitate to share her own personal experiences, putting others at ease and allowing everyone to be respected. Eva can be used for all kinds of meetings: from panel discussions to award shows and from business meetings to concerts.

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