‘Samen verder’: documentary about late effects premieres

In the Netherlands, more and more children with cancer are surviving thanks to improved treatments and care. There are now more than 14,000 survivors. But even after survival, they often face late effects of the disease and its treatment. The three-part documentary ‘Samen verder’ (Moving forward together) by filmmaker and survivor Annick Sickinghe brings this impact to life through personal stories.

LATER clinic

Research shows that survivors have an increased risk of health problems compared to their peers. Three-quarters of survivors experience one or more late effects of treatment. These late effects may not appear until years after treatment. Early detection is therefore important: many late effects can be treated effectively if identified in time. That is why a LATER clinic has been in place since the opening of the Princess Máxima Center.

From five years after diagnosis, survivors return here for check-ups, for example for secondary tumors and other late effects, or to participate in research. Up to age 18, they are supported by a pediatric oncologist or LATER pediatrician, and afterward by a LATER physician for adults or a nurse practitioner.

Late effects in focus

Through three intimate portraits, the series sheds light on life after survival. Due to medical advances, more and more children are surviving cancer. At the same time, the group of adults living with late effects is growing. These effects are often underrecognized and difficult to talk about.

• Fleur (22) survived a brain tumor at the age of four but sustained permanent brain injury. This makes the step of moving out much bigger, not only for her but also for her parents.
  

• Jorg (31) had lymphoma and became infertile as a result of treatment. Together with his partner, he is exploring options for having children in the future.
  

• Lydia (31) survived neuroblastoma at the age of four. Now that she is pregnant, she is searching for a new balance, as late effects mean she can no longer work.

Watch the trailer :

Annick says: ‘For this series, I followed three people for nine months who had cancer as children and still experience its effects every day as adults. It became a series about the art of living: how, with lasting effects, you find your own path in life. About mental well-being, care after survival, work, parenthood, and the vulnerability of the body in a performance-driven society. I was diagnosed with cancer when I was fourteen. With this series, I want to show what is possible after survival, but also what it truly means to live with late effects. I also want to highlight how important it is for survivors, as experts by experience, to share their expertise.’

The importance of good care and research

With her documentary, Annick draws attention to the impact of late effects. Whether and to what extent they occur depends on the diagnosis and treatment.

Raphaële van Litsenburg, head of the LATER outpatient clinic at the Princess Máxima Center: ‘The goal of the LATER clinic is early detection of physical and psychosocial late effects after treatment for childhood cancer. An important part of this is ensuring that everyone has access to information about late effects. This makes it possible to arrange the right care in time, helping us work toward the best possible quality of life for everyone who has had childhood cancer.’

Research by the group of Leontien Kremer, professor of late effects of childhood cancer, focuses on reducing long-term health problems. ‘Within pediatric oncology, we are constantly seeking the right balance: treatments must be effective against cancer while causing as little long-term harm as possible. The results help us learn how to improve care for children with cancer as well as for survivors,’ Van Litsenburg adds.

The documentary was made possible in part by the Princess Máxima Center Foundation.