Functional Recovery from Cancer and its Treatment
About the research group
Supportive care in cancer is essential at every stage of treatment. It helps patients to prepare effectively for treatment, to endure it better, and to recover more quickly. As cancer often leads to long-term health issues, paramedical care and rehabilitation are becoming increasingly important. However, many healthcare providers are still not adequately prepared to optimally support cancer patients during their recovery. This is partly due to insufficient attention given to cancer in foundational training programmes. Furthermore, more research is needed to further substantiate the care provided.
Complex Care Due to Other Illnesses
Nearly three-quarters of cancer patients also have another illness, which complicates their care. Treatment guidelines for paramedics are often based on research involving patients without comorbidities. Therefore, adjustments are frequently necessary for individual patients. This requires significant knowledge and insight from the healthcare provider.
Collaboration with Other Healthcare Providers
Due to the complex care needs, collaboration between healthcare providers is essential. Physiotherapists, exercise therapists, occupational therapists, and nutritionists must have a good understanding of each other's fields. Additionally, eHealth can support healthcare providers in delivering care and promoting patient independence. This research group contributes to the improvement of cancer care by conducting practice-oriented research and developing training programmes.
Connection with Education
Through internship assignments, AUAS students can actively contribute to the research of the research group and the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek. Teacher-PhD candidates Myrthe Joosten and Anke Bouwman conduct part of their doctoral research in collaboration with the chair and part with the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek. They incorporate their experiences into the education of bachelor's students in the HBO Nursing and Occupational Therapy programmes.
Partners
The chair is financially supported by the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, the Dutch Paramedical Institute, and Amsterdam UMC. These institutions also play a crucial role in the design and implementation of the research, as well as in applying the findings in practice.