Winette van der Graaf

Since 2018 I have been working as an internist oncologist at the NKI In I focus on the medical treatment of patients with sarcomas, GIST and desmoid. I also see people/families who have a hereditary predisposition to getting cancer (the so-called Li Fraumeni Syndrome). The NKI is the central place in the Netherlands for screening these high-risk families.

Before coming to the NKI, I worked in other academic hospitals: the UMCG in Groningen, the Radboudumc in Nijmegen and the renowned Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research in London. In addition to my work at the NKI, I work one day a week at the ErasmusMC in Rotterdam, where I have been appointed as a professor. I see it as a privilege to have been able to work in so many different hospitals. Especially for rare tumors, it is important to have an (inter)national network for optimal patient care, research and studies. My chairmanship of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) also helps with this. In addition, I have a passion to improve care and research for Adolescents and Young Adults with cancer (AYAs) and as chairman of the national AYA care network I can help give direction to this.

My ambitions fit in well with those of the NKI and NKI in their pursuit of the best care and research that matters. As doctors and nurse specialists, we work closely together, which is very pleasant. After all, looking together for the best treatment for the individual patient with a rare tumor is the most important challenge we face every day.