Hema Now | Episode 25
In this inspiring episode of Hema Now, Catherine Glass speaks with Rob Pieters, Professor of Pediatric Oncology at Utrecht University; and co-founder of the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands, the largest dedicated childhood cancer centre in Europe. Pieters shares his personal journey in paediatric oncology, the breakthroughs that have reshaped care, and the vision behind uniting all of the Netherlands’ childhood cancer expertise under one roof.
Rob Pieters
Rob Pieters is a Professor of Pediatric Oncology at the University of Utrecht, and was one of the initiators and founders of the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands. This national centre has merged the expertise from all former seven childhood cancer centres in the Netherlands into one place, which is now the largest centre in Europe for the research and treatment of childhood cancers.
Timestamps
0:00 – Introduction
01:06 – Pieters’ start in paediatric oncology
01:29 – Biggest breakthroughs in childhood cancers
02:35 – Parts of Pieters work that bring him the most joy
03:12 – Lessons learnt from patients or their families
04:31 – The vision behind the Princess Máxima Center
08:35 – The impact of the Princess Máxima Center
10:53 – How is research funding divided?
12:55 – Evolution of treatments in paediatric oncology
15:10 – What will it take to achieve 100% cure rate in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia?
18:55 – President Elect of the European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOPE)
22:20 – One message of hope to families facing childhood cancer
25:10 – Pieter’s three wishes for healthcare
The opinions expressed in this episode belong to the speakers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of EMJ.
