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My name is Desiree Dona, I was born in 1964 in Zaandam, where I lived for only three months. I grew up in different cities in Brabant. I am a clinical occupational physician in oncology and currently working for all outpatient clinics and treatment teams at Radboudumc where patients receive cancer treatment. Our goal is to embed labor as a treatment goal, and even as a form of medicin, in the treatment plan and care path for cancer patients.
Where do you live?
I live with my husband in Lent, a beautiful place, where we live in a floating house. It’s really fantastic! Our five children have all grown up, and we are now proud grandparents of two grandsons.
When you were a child what did you want to be when you grew up? Can you tell us something about your childhood years?
In my youth, I moved a lot because of my father’s work. Because of this, I learned from an early age to adapt easily to a new environment and to be interested in meeting new people. In our own family, I also learned early on how to deal with a disabled family member. Since I was the oldest child in the family, I quickly felt responsible for caregiving. I think both of these ingredients played a decisive role in my choice to become a doctor.
During my internships, I realized that I wanted to specialize further in social medicine. The beauty of the occupational health profession is that you can do a lot for employees with an illness or handicap. Healthy and sustainable participation during illness or infirmity is a major challenge, I know that all too well from my childhood. I had also experienced the importance of being able to participate in society up close. All of this contributed to the choices I made, from a doctor to a company doctor, to finally become a clinical occupational physician in oncology.
Which of your research discoveries are you most proud of?
We did a first evaluation among patients about their experiences with the clinical occupational physician. This showed that patients attach great value to this care. A confirmation for us that we are on the right track with our healthcare innovation and that we add value for chronically ill employees.
What is your most important scientific challenge in the coming 5 years?
In developing the care innovation 'work-oriented care', we encountered the fact that there are actually no good outcome measures to properly measure the effects of our intervention. The existing outcome measures such as duration of absenteeism, return to work, disability percentages, etc., do not fit well with the aim of staying at work in a sustainable and healthy way. In the near future, we will work on developing and validating new outcome measures.
If you could choose any mentor, who would it be?
I think that’s a difficult question. When I have to designate a role model, I often think of my grandfather. He was a wise man, with a good moral compass and a big heart. Staying true to yourself was often his advice, then you'll get there. I have often taken that to heart!
What is your favorite topic: molecules - patients - population?
Patients.
What should be changed / improved in the scientific community?
It would be nice if personal patient stories and experiences could be given a place in science. Not everything is measurable and not everything that is measurable is of added value for the individual patient. In other words, how do you do justice to personalized care in science?
Is there anything we can wake you up for in the middle of the night?
Oysters, delicious!
What is the thing that irritates you most?
I do have an issue with the ever-increasing individualization in our society, in which the differences between rich and poor are increasing and the collective mindset is declining. I am very concerned about the climate crisis, which will also have a major impact on our health.
How do you relax from the demanding job of being a scientist?
I find my relaxation in music: listening to music (visiting concerts in Doornroosje) and also making music myself (I play diatonic accordion). Moreover, I like to cook, and exercising in the open air (cycling, running and walking) makes me happy.
Do you have a tip for our most junior scientists?
Ha ha! I'm still a youngster in research, so it's better to ask that question the other way around….
Please add a photo which represents a remarkable event or experience you were part of? Please explain.
This photo was taken during Queen Maxima's online working visit to Radboudumc in January 2021. I was allowed to talk about our care innovation 'Zorg voor Arbeid' and Queen Maxima turned out to be very well informed and interested in our work. In her portfolio, financial health and an inclusive labor market have her special attention. Wherever possible, she is committed to contributing to these themes worldwide. It was a very special experience to speak with her.
Editor(s): Fleur Duyser & Hasan Erkan
