In this interview, we meet Saskia Plujim from the clinical team at the Princess Maxima Center in the Netherlands.

 

Please introduce yourself and share with us why you joined PanCareFollowUp.

I am Saskia Pluijm, senior scientist in the group of Leontien Kremer (survivorship and late effect research) in the Princess Maxima Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands. I have studied human movement sciences and epidemiology and have a strong background in lifestyle and aging studies.

My current research focuses on healthy aging during and after childhood, adolescence and young adulthood (CAYA) cancer by supporting (ex)patients (´survivors´) of childhood cancer adopting and sustaining to a healthy lifestyle. This includes physical activity, not smoking, a healthy dietary intake and body weight, sufficient vitamin D and relaxation. Recent research indicates that a process of accelerated aging occurs in survivors of childhood cancer due to the intense treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy which may be prevented or delayed by a healthy lifestyle.

Within the PanCareFollowUp, together with Jacqueline Loonen (RUMC), I am leading a study on the development and evaluation of an e-health lifestyle intervention in which CAYA survivors who intend to improve their level of physical activity or dietary intake will be supported by an ehealth lifestyle coach. We are evaluating the feasibility of this lifestyle intervention in 60 CAYA survivors in two centers in the Netherlands. I am the center representative for the Princes Maxima Center.

Introduce your clinic and how long-term follow-up is organised in your clinic/country.

I am working in the Princess Maxima Center in The Netherlands. A large part of the CAYA survivors visit the Maxima for long term follow up care.

Survivorship care is based on a combination of guidelines and person-centered care. Survivors regularly visit the clinic for a consult with a medical doctor or nurse specialized in survivorship care. Survivors with a high risk visit the clinic more often than survivors with a lower risk. A healthy lifestyle is part of the person-centered consultation.

Why do you think PanCareFollowUp is an important project?

The project helps to improve the quality of survivorship care in multiple countries in Europe, and so late effects may be prevented or delayed and the quality of life of CAYA survivors will improve.

What makes this project unique for you?

For me, it is unique because especially of three things:

  • The strong and passion full collaboration between survivors, care givers and researchers involved in survivorship care.
  • The holistic approach with integration of medical and psychosocial care, and motivation of a healthy lifestyle.
  • The Combination of guideline (evidence-based) care and person-centered care.

What do you hope this project will achieve in general?

I hope it will achieve an Improvement of the quality of survivorship care and will demonstrate that the care intervention is (cost)effective and that eHealth lifestyle interventions is feasible.

What will this project add to long-term follow-up care in your clinic/country?

It will add attention for the importance of lifestyle with eHealth lifestyle support for CAYA survivors who are motivated to improve their lifestyle, knowledge on person-centered survivorship care and a Treatment Summary and evidence-based recommendations.

What will be the most important benefit for survivors in your clinic/ country?

I think the most important benefit is the support in adopting and maintaining a healthier lifestyle and further improvement of evidence-based person-centered care.

What’s the biggest challenge for your clinic in PanCareFollowUp?

The biggest challenge for us is performing the feasibility eHealth lifestyle study.

What’s the most fun thing for you in PanCareFollowUp?

The must fun thing is the passion full and happy collaboration between all partners. In addition, I give and perform (zoom) yoga sessions during our two-day (online) meetings, which I like a lot!

What’s the most important benefit of your work within PanCareFollowUp for survivors?

The most important benefit for survivors is making them conscious of the importance of a healthy lifestyle for a healthy life after childhood cancer and supporting them by adopting a healthier lifestyle. One way to do so is the integration of eHealth in survivorship care.

What else do we need to know about your clinic or is there anything else you want to share?

I am grateful to the well-organised coordination and leadership of this project in which so many partners work together on multiple tasks.