"I didn’t expect that I would eventually get my PhD. I started out in vocational secondary education. After a medical assistant program at a vocational college and a skin therapy program at the university of applied sciences, I eventually ended up as a master's student at the Netherlands Cancer Institute. That’s where I worked as a student assistant to a PhD student. When they asked me if I wanted to pursue a PhD myself, I said I’d love to, but only if I could work on a topic closely related to my area of expertise. I submitted my own research proposal on lymphedema, and it was accepted. Lymphedema is the accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the skin, which causes swelling. This often occurs in patients treated for head and neck cancer. They may develop swollen cheeks, an extra double chin, or swelling in the larynx, which can cause problems swallowing or speaking. I developed a reliable measurement protocol and discovered a significant variation in practices among international experts. In my research, I was particularly impressed by the resilience of the patients. They reported that these symptoms bothered them less than we had initially expected. Still, providing reliable information is essential. Incidentally, I’m now doing something quite different: I work as a research coordinator at the Academic Network of General Practice at Amsterdam UMC (ANHA)."
Coralie Arends will defend her thesis on November 13.
Research at the Netherlands Cancer Institute is financially supported by KWF Dutch Cancer Society.
prof. dr. M.W.M. van den Brekel & dr. M.M. Stuiver
L. van der Molen