01 Apr '24

‘Cancer is a shared burden’

3371
door Anne Peeters
Het is kanker. Wat nu? is the title of the book written by Tine Maenhout and Silvia Brouwers, as they intimately shared in this experience, offering mutual support along the way. And they wrote the book that they wished they had read when they were in the midst of their periods of illness.

‘The power of the book lies in the fact that we both had very different types of cancer, which allowed us to create something that is relatable to many different people. Cancer isn’t just one disease; it encompasses a multitude of illnesses. We also engaged with lots of different people. So the work speaks to a broad spectrum of individuals.’ ‘The experience of illness is incredibly intense, but the year following is chaotic. When you’re sick, you know what to do: you have a schedule, your treatments. When you’re not feeling well, you have time to rest. And then you’re suddenly back in the thick of things, both at home and at work. It can be really tough.