Supporting our pediatric patients

Senior radiotherapy technician Joke Schaper will serve as the coordinator of the pediatric team, while two specialist nurse practitioners, Janneke Ottens and Edith de Kock, will serve as case managers. On a daily basis, and often behind the scenes, they will take care of such items as housing, multidisciplinary coordination, and the overall support of our pediatric patients. 

Immediately after being accepted for proton therapy, a child will be assigned a case manager who will serve as a familiar point of contact for the duration of the treatment. The case manager provides overall support to the patient and his or her family and can accompany them to appointments within the Groningen University Medical Center. When necessary, the case manager will arrange overnight stays, handle requests for anesthesia, and assist in organizing schooling requirements. The case manager is also skilled in medical tasks such as the use of a venous access port (VAP), the administering of cytostatic drugs and the dressing of wounds. 

The coordinator of the pediatric team operates behind the scenes to take care of technical aspects of the radiation treatment. In close collaboration with proton therapy technicians, she makes sure that the pediatric patient will feel welcome and at ease in our proton therapy center.