‘Finishing treatment does not mean I am back to who I was. My recovery is only just beginning.’
Pleun still remembers the exact day when everything started. ‘It was December 27, 2023. I had been laser gaming with my colleagues, and it had been a fun evening. I was standing in front of the mirror getting ready for the night when I noticed a lump in my neck. I usually don’t go to the doctor quickly, but somehow I felt that something wasn’t right.’
One in ten
It then takes a while before Pleun receives a diagnosis. At first, the general practitioner thinks her lymph nodes are swollen because of a cold. A few months later the lump is still there and Pleun starts having back pain and fatigue. She is referred for further tests. Pleun says: ‘The doctor told me, “There is a chance it could be lymphoma.” She also said, “But this is only the case in one in ten situations like this.” My mother tried to reassure me, but I was worried. Someone has to be that one person, and what if that was me?’
Bad news
More tests follow, and it turns out that Pleun is indeed that one. During her internship her mother suddenly walks in. ‘I knew right away that there was bad news. In the car my mother told me that it was almost certainly lymphoma. I was nearly 18, but I was still able to go to the Máxima Center. I was relieved about that. I had been following the Máxima Center on Instagram for a long time, so I already had some idea of what to expect. It was a big contrast with the adult hospital where I had my first tests. That place felt a lot duller. At the Máxima Center I even felt cheerful.’
FOMO
‘The doctors were very clear from the start and told me right away what they thought. I was 17, so I understood a lot. Sometimes I even explained my blood values to my parents.’ A treatment period follows in which Pleun receives four rounds of chemotherapy. Missing out on fun activities is hard for her. ‘I really struggled with FOMO, the fear of missing out. I always want to be there, especially at performances with my music group where I play the drum. Last summer we were invited to play abroad several times, but because of my treatment I couldn’t go. I was very disappointed. I also had to stop my internship. But the hardest part was seeing the people around me so sad. I tried to stay strong for them. Luckily, there were bright spots too, like a close friend of my parents who brought me a stroopwafel from the market every Thursday. She never missed a single week.’
Recovery has only just begun
After four rounds of chemotherapy, Pleun’s treatment ends in September 2024. For her it is a memorable moment. She can start rebuilding her life and begins the final year of her studies. Still, she emphasizes that this does not mean everything is back to normal. ‘People often think that after your last treatment you are the same as before, but recovery only starts then. My physical fitness is still not where it used to be. I notice that during my internship as a ground stewardess, which requires a lot of standing and walking. Mentally, I still find it difficult to be alone, especially in the evenings. That is when I start thinking and become anxious. I worry that something might happen to my loved ones or that the disease might return.’
Short hair
After her treatment, Pleun approaches life differently. ‘I care less about what people think. Sometimes people give me strange looks because of my short hair, but I am proud to show what I have been through. It sometimes leads to awkward moments, like the first time I went outside without my hairpiece and someone asked if I had been to the hairdresser. They had no idea I had been ill, so in a way it was funny too.’
Good advice
‘I also live more in the moment. Enjoying today is what matters most to me. Of course I still make plans, but I know that things can change quickly.’ For teenagers who are also being treated at the Máxima Center, Pleun has some good advice. ‘Think about yourself. You matter. Don’t pretend to be strong for others. Soon I will start talking to someone about what I went through and about the fears I still have because of it. Don’t be ashamed of these feelings, because they are completely normal. You are not alone.’
Also read:
- ‘I am no longer sick, but I still experience the effects of the treatment. It continues to haunt you.’Mandy (25) was 15 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. She underwent a year-long treatment before she ringed the bell. The cancer is gone, but the effects of the chemotherapy are not. Mandy visits the LATER clinic at the Máxima Center once a year and, ten years after her diagnosis, is almost graduating as an oncology nurse.
- ‘Take things one step at a time and ask yourself each day: what can be done?’Three and a half years ago, Emelie (then 12) was carefree on the ski slopes. But only a few weeks after coming home, her eyesight began to deteriorate rapidly. The cause turned out to be a brain tumor. Now Emelie is 16. Together with her parents, Matthijs and Lisanne, Emelie shares how she is doing now and how she lives with her visual impairment.
- ‘Even though it didn’t feel that way at the time, it seems as if everything happened for a reason.’Rachel has been cancer-free herself for 14 years and now produces specialized cell and gene therapies for children with cancer at the Princess Máxima Center. ‘The first few times I walked into the Máxima Center I felt overwhelmed. Many memories came back. At the same time, it was very comforting to see children having fun.’