Dr. Stijn Mom and dr. Luc van Lonkhuijzen from Cancer Center Amsterdam have won the Amsterdam UMC Societal Impact Award. The award was presented during the New Year’s reception on January 8 and recognizes research that has a clear societal impact.
In their daily work, Stijn and Luc treat women with cervical cancer. Simultaneously, they are actively committed to prevention. Their research shows that many young women with cervical cancer had not been vaccinated against HPV, even though they had been invited through the vaccination through the Dutch Rijksvaccinatieprogramma. Read more about the research.
“We are proud to have been nominated by the CCA and pleased that we were able to live up to that trust. We hope our message resonates: prevention also belongs in the hands of medical specialists. There is a lot we can do.”
Stijn and Luc are also proud of their collaboration with IKNL and the contribution of Chermaine Groefsema, who courageously shared her personal story in a video. She explained how, together with her parents, she had decided not to participate in the HPV vaccination program and, unfortunately, developed cervical cancer at a young age. By opening up, she gave the research a human face. For Chermaine, sharing her story felt like a way to contribute something positive. Involving patients in presenting research can help bring important topics to attention and can also give patients strength in difficult situations.
With this award, Stijn and Luc are looking ahead tocontinue to investigate why some vaccinated women still develop cervical cancer, but their main focus remains increasing HPV vaccination uptake, participation in screening and broader prevention, such as discouraging smoking.
Finally, Stijn and Luc have a clear message for colleagues who aim to make societal impact in healthcare:
“If you conduct research, it’s important to share your results. Communicating your message effectively is a skill you can learn, and our Communications Department is there to support you. Colleagues working on societal impact are always welcome to reach out for advice or guidance – we’re happy to help.”
A well-deserved award for research that shows how healthcare and prevention can work together to make a real societal impact.!