This Tuesday, the University of La Laguna (ULL) welcomed siblings Anja and Robert Verbeist from the Netherlands. Their visit focused on the Medicine Section of the Faculty of Health Sciences, to explore the impact of the 380,000 euros bequeathed by their step-grandmother, Meta Helene Verbeist-Jacobs, in 1988 for medical studies at the Tenerife institution.
Due to various circumstances, this generous donation had not been realised until a year ago, as stated by ULL.
The Verbeist siblings were received by the rector, Francisco García; the vice-rector for Culture and University Outreach, Isabel León; the current dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, José Luis Pais; his predecessor, Agustín Castañeyra; and the vice-dean of the Medicine Section, David Machado.
Since last year, the funds from this inheritance have been allocated to the University of La Laguna. The visit on Tuesday served as an official occasion to personally thank Anja Verbeist for her efforts in ensuring that her grandfather’s second wife’s final wishes were fulfilled amidst a series of unforeseen challenges.
The siblings toured the Department of Medicine, including its laboratories and classrooms, to understand where the funds will be directed, which, according to the wishes of the benefactor, are designated exclusively for teaching and research purposes.
In this regard, Dean José Luis Pais commented that the specific utilisation of these funds has yet to be determined, although it is likely that they will be allocated towards acquiring equipment for research projects.
He additionally remarked that this instance serves as a “good example” of the culture of private patronage prevalent abroad, which remains relatively uncommon in Spain, partly due to insufficient supportive legislation.
Family History
A complex family background and certain administrative oversights account for why a legacy from 1988 was not formalised until thirty-five years later.
The situation originates with Dutch journalist Julius Verbeist, who resided in Puerto de la Cruz until his passing and developed a close rapport with Miguel Guirao, the then acting dean of the newly established Faculty of Medicine at the University of La Laguna.
This Dutch national had severed relations with his first wife and their children, later marrying Meta Helene Verbiest-Jacobs, with whom he lived in Tenerife.
Julius passed away in 1970, and his widow expressed gratitude for the care her husband received at the newly founded university hospital.
With no descendants of her own, she opted to bequeath the funds to the University of La Laguna, specifically earmarking it for the Faculty of Medicine.
Due to a lack of communication with his father and his second spouse, Julius’s son remained unaware of the inheritance.
A banking mistake eventually brought the matter to light several years later. In 2011, the Verbeist mother received a notification from her bank regarding an unusually substantial account balance.
Specifically, this was linked to the bank statement of the deceased Meta Helene, erroneously sent to her due to the coincidence that both women had the same initials – MJ Verbeist – causing the financial institution to confuse one account with the other.
This unanticipated income prompted the family to investigate the source of the funds, leading them to the discovery of the unrealised inheritance from 1988.
Ultimately, Anja Verbeist succeeded in reaching out to the then dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Agustín Castañeira, which allowed for the fulfilment of this generous final wish, as highlighted by ULL.
