health
In April, the reception point for living with and after cancer at the Maxima Oncology Center (MOC) will open its doors. A team of well-trained volunteers will provide psychosocial support to cancer patients at the two Máxima MC (MMC) sites. This is done in cooperation with De Eik, the regional center that has been committed to the same target group for years.
Veldhoven – 3 years ago, Ton Bessens (75 years old) was told that he had metastatic lung cancer. “Big shock,” he recalls. “Which I didn't know what to do at the time. I received the results and the treatment plan, made the necessary follow-up appointments and drove home. When I got home, I didn't know where to look. No one could comprehend all of my intense emotions at that moment.” But I wish there was a place in the hospital where I could quietly let go of the bad news and find someone who would listen to me.
The listening ear
Máxima MC will meet exactly this need at both the Veldhoven and Eindhoven locations from April. A cancer diagnosis turns a person's life upside down, as internal oncologist Leeki Simkins, MD, knows better than anyone. “During busy consultation hours, I allocate an average of 15 minutes to each patient,” she says. I should tell him about his medical condition, I should discuss treatment options and I should also respond to what all this means for him. I try to use those fifteen minutes as efficiently as possible, but I simply don't have enough time to give it the attention I want. That is why I am delighted that a team of well-trained volunteers will arrive at short notice, who will provide a listening ear in peace and quiet.
“The hospital is primarily about the patient, but don't forget their loved ones,” says Angelique Brands, who, as a breast cancer nurse, knows how much this disease affects family and friends.
health
Dr. Leeki Simkins hopes the reception point will form a link between hospital and home. “As a cancer patient, you are often in hospital. It is good to have a place where you are welcomed informally, where you can be yourself, ask for advice and receive additional information.
Entry points are open on business days.
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