165 APPENDICES I am grateful to the many people I have met and with whom I have worked during my years at the VU University medical center (VUmc) in Amsterdam. First, I would like to express my appreciation to prof.dr. Sven Danner and prof.dr. Mark Kramer for their efforts during my training to become an internist. I like to commemorate the late dr. Rob Strack van Schijndel, who was an outstanding teacher and clinician. His compassion and gentleness made a lasting impression on me during my training years. My sincere thanks also go to prof.dr. Peter Huijgens and prof.dr. Epie Boven for playing a key role in my professional career. In a safe, supportive and stimulating learning environment, they kindly gave me the opportunity to develop and strenghten the compentences and skills needed to become a licensed haematologist and medical oncologist. Many thanks go to my former colleagues, nurses and staff of the VUmc oncology department. I will always remember my time there with great fondness and a touch of nostalgia. Some colleagues I would like to acknowledge in particular: My gratitude goes out to Manon Boddaert who gave me an inspiring introduction to supportive and palliative care in daily practice. I have learned from her how to make a meaningful difference to patients and their families as a dedicated palliative care physician. It is a well-kept secret that Hans van der Vliet and I, both oncology residents at the time, saved the medical oncology training at the VUmc by firmly denying everything. I think it’s about time we get the credit for this. Dear Hans, I have always appreciated your levelheaded approach and great sense of humor. It has been an absolute joy working together. After I joined the medical staff at the VUmc oncology department, I had the good fortune of becoming roommates with Jens Voortman. I soon discovered that Jens is not only a great colleague with a sharp sense of humor, but also a real connoisseur when it comes to Japanese haute cuisine, French macarons, American burgers, and trendy spots in Amsterdam. Dear Jens, I sincerely hope we will keep in touch. During my final years in Amsterdam, but also after I had moved to Arnhem and traveled to the VUmc on Fridays, I had the pleasure of sharing my workspace with Mariette Labots. I quickly became impressed by her energy and competence. Dear Mariette, I have really enjoyed working with you. I am sure that we will write our next theses in a more serene state of mind. I extendmy thanks tomy colleagues of the weekly palliative care work meetings, especially to prof.dr. Joost Dekker and dr. Laurien Buffart. Our discussions and exchanges of ideas were vital to broaden my own research perspective. Every year a band of (former) VUmc colleagues, directed by the incomparable Irma de Ruijter, gives new meaning to the expression “doctors without frontiers” during the ski trip in Gerlos, Austria. I hope – corona volente – we can continue this annual sporting highlight for many years to come. In 2014, I moved to Nijmegen and started working as an internist-oncologist in Rijnstate hospital in Arnhem. I thank all colleagues and staff members from the department of
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