Lifetime Achievement Award

Awardee Interview

 

 

 

Corrie Marijnen – Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam & Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands

 

 

 

 

 

What have been the highlights of your career?

My career has been centered on practice changing rectal cancer trials. I have always aimed to give the complete picture. So include both the benefits and the side-effects with impact on the quality of life of patients.

The research highlights are for me the results of the TME trial, the initiation of organ preservation with the STAR-TREC trial and the reduction of distant metastases with the introduction of total neoadjuvant treatment (RAPIDO trial).

However, most energy I got from inspiring my younger colleagues and encouraging them in their career. The ESTRO school has been of great importance in facilitating this on an international level. As department chair, I thoroughly enjoyed supporting and stimulating the residents and PhD students in making the right choices.

What is your next challenge?

I have now changed my focus to supporting colleagues in their working life by becoming a professional coach and mentor. This encompasses young residents and PhD students, helping them to find the job that suits them. But also supporting (young) medical specialists in finding out which steps they should take to remain happy in their job.

What do you think are the next challenges in your field?

In the field of rectal cancer the main challenge is that we must find out how we can reduce overtreatment. Finding ways to predict response to treatment and in that way personalise treatment is the most important step forward.

On a more general basis, I feel the greatest challenge is to encourage people to take leadership. To do so, we (the so-called “old generation”) have to step aside and let the next generation take over. For me, this is one of the important challenges for ESTRO.

What does the award mean to you?

I feel very honoured to receive this award. It means a lot to be rewarded by my colleagues and friends at the end of my career. It makes stepping down and letting go easier, and I am confident that the next generation is ready to take over.

What has been your involvement within ESTRO?

I have been a board member for 6 years, and this has given me a lot of insights in the complexity of such a large organisation. Also, it demonstrated the passion many of us feel for the radiation oncology community. In addition, I have been an ESTRO teacher for a long time, that was very valuable. Passing your knowledge is great and at the same time it enabled me to be with my peers and have brilliant discussions on the relevance and meaning of new findings.

To whom would you like to dedicate your award?

I don’t feel I should dedicate the award to a specific person, but I am of course very grateful to all the brave patients that are willing to participate in clinical trials. Without them, we would never be able to do trials and improve treatment for the next generation of patients. 

Of course, I am extremely grateful to my partner Kees, who has always supported me and was there as counterpart to my busy working life. He ensured an ideal work-life balance by organising the most beautiful cycling holidays.  By doing so, I was able to feel free, clear my head from all work-worries. And surprisingly, this often led to new, innovative ideas concerning work!