Libelle (weekly women's magazine), August 6, 2025 By Babette Bouwman Translated by Ineke, edited by Alice Leung. Calling Emma Kok: "I often think: why do I have to be the exception again?" Every week, Libelle calls a well-known Dutch person or television personality to catch up. This time, singer Emma Kok (17) is on the line. Although her chronic stomach paralysis (gastroparesis) causes a lot of pain and frustration, she thoroughly enjoys her performances with André Rieu. Emma: "Hi, how nice to call!" Libelle: Of course! We were wondering how you're doing since your hospital visit two weeks ago? Emma: "My frustrations due to the poor communication have subsided somewhat, but unfortunately, the symptoms haven't subsided. No solution has been found for the painful stitches between my esophagus and lower abdomen." (Read the article below) Libelle: How awful. What are your days like now? Emma: "Lying on the couch doesn't make the pain go away. So I still try to sing every day and go to the gym. I'm also tube-fed 22 hours a day because of my gastroparesis. Normally, I can also eat very small things, like some tea with honey or a slice of sandwich topping. Right now, I can't even tolerate that." Libelle: That's probably quite a reflection of your social life. Emma: "Definitely. The medical grind started when I was three months old, but tube-feeding and not being able to eat, remain a mental struggle. My parents don't go out to eat very often because they know I find it very difficult. Still, I go with them when they do go to a restaurant, just for the company. Even at performances, I prefer to sit with the catering crew rather than alone in my dressing room." Libelle: What's it like for you, "sitting in" during meals? Emma: "It's confronting to see others enjoying a snack or meal. I often think, "I wish I could do that too. Why do I have to be the exception again?" Libelle: And how does that work at school? Emma: "I used to walk around the classroom with a child's walker to carry the heavy pump for my tube feeding. Many classmates bullied me for that. They called me 'granny' or 'gnome' because of my stunted growth. I've been exempted now. Combining lessons with all the singing was impossible, so I'm very happy about that." Libelle: How sad that you had to go through that, Emma. Emma: "School wasn't my favorite place, indeed. When I was twelve, I wanted to be everyone's friend, but I didn't fit in. Since then, I've had trouble truly letting people in. My trust in others and in myself has been damaged." Libelle: Your good friend Jade is also going through a difficult time. Do you find a lot of support from each other? Emma: "Absolutely. They are two completely different situations: she has terminal cancer and I have chronic gastric paralysis. You can't compare them, yet we understand a little what the other is going through. She just wants to be an 18-year-old girl, I just want to be a 17-year-old girl. When we're together, that works. Then we forget for a moment that we're 'different'." Song for Jade I wrote this song for my best friend Jade Kops. Unfortunately, she got the news that she's out of treatment for her cancer. But that doesn't stop her from living her life!! That's why I look up and learn so much from her!! I am so proud of her and proud that she is my best friend. Please listen to "Jade" because the entire amount will be donated to Stichting Jade (Jade Foundation). https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJcCoAispNm/?utm_source=ig_embed Libelle: How did you actually meet? Emma: “Through a festival hosted by Tina magazine. We were both nominated in the Girl Power category and met backstage. We hit it off right away. Now we text 24/7 and try to see each other as often as possible. We shop, go to great musicals, and I love that she enjoys coming to my shows.” Libelle: How do you keep yourself going in difficult times? Emma: “Music is my medicine. If I hadn't discovered that, I would have been in a bad way.” Libelle: And when did that discovery happen? Emma: “Coincidentally, when I was twelve. I'd just had a month of singing lessons. We were in quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic, and I was bored to death. Somewhere in that boredom, I noticed a call from "The Voice Kids." I honestly didn't even expect a response, let alone that I would win the season.” Libelle: Since then, your life has been turned upside down. Emma: "You can say that again. Pierre Rieu once showed his father, André Rieu, a video of me singing Voilà by the French singer Barbara Pravi. He loved it and contacted me to ask if I'd sing for him sometime." Libelle: "I'll have to think about that," you said, right? Emma: "No, man! If André Rieu asks you to come, you come. He's an icon; you absolutely can't say no to that." Libelle: Haha, that's right. Do you enjoy sharing the stage with such an icon? Emma: "It's amazing. On stage, with an orchestra and in front of such a large audience, I can only enjoy it. It's so special to be a part of it. I'm forever grateful to André." Libelle: The annual Vrijthof concerts are over now. Time to relax? Emma: “Yes, I'm on a lovely holiday now. After that, I have a few more performances planned with André, and there's something fun coming up that I can't talk about yet...”

July 28, 2025 From Instagram: Emmakokofficial (with the blue verification mark) THE HOSPITAL I have had severe pain and stitches from my esophagus to my lower abdomen for over a month now. It started with “gastropain”, stitches in my chest, ribs and back. This pain is very recognizable to me because I have it several times a year due to my gastroparesis. But it only got worse and I also got pain and stitches on my abdomen and lower abdomen. I didn't recognize that. I got nauseous when I tried to eat something, one time I had drunk a sip of water and got nauseous. The pain and stitches only got worse so, today I went to the hospital with mom. I had to have an ultrasound and I had my blood and urine taken. On the ultrasound everything was fine with my organs!!! I really like that!!!! We got my file in the mail earlier and we saw that some blood values were abnormal (not good). We came to the doctor and I was told that all the blood values were perfect. I didn't understand that very well since the file said something else. My abdomen was felt and at one point a sheet was taken and drawn. If it was signed then I already knew enough. Because they were going to explain to me that through my brain I send painful signals to my stomach and intestines and that causes my pain. So when I translate that into Dutch they actually say it's between my ears. Then they came up with the big solution. I have to go into Hypnosis therapy. I was just barely rolling my eyes when that was said. SERIOUS???? HYPNOSIS THERAPY. When I think of something positive my pain goes away. And if I'm lucky my gastroparesis goes away too. Somehow they have managed to make me walk out of the hospital angry and unheard. I feel retarded. I feel stupid. The worst part is that you start doubting yourself. Gastroparesis patients run into the same thing everywhere. We are not being heard. And this MUST change!!!!