‘Despite everything Loek has to go through, he still feels at ease at the Máxima Center.’
Loek (2) was not yet a year and a half old when he was diagnosed with a Wilms tumor. His life, and that of his parents, sister, and brother, was turned upside down overnight. Suddenly, everything revolved around Loek’s recovery. His mother Sanne and father Roy say: ‘He remained the cheerful toddler who kept adapting time and again. His resilience gave us strength.’
Sanne says: ‘It is March 4, 2025. My birthday. We are sitting at the table with our little family, eating a piece of cake. Of course I get to blow out the candles and make a wish. “So, what did you wish for, Mom?!” our daughter Suus (7) asks. “Well, I am not allowed to tell you, or it will not come true.” My husband says: “I think I know what you wished for: health for our family.” “Nooooo,” Suus says, “that is the worst wish ever!” She then lists all the presents she would wish for if it were her birthday. “Mom’s wish is really boring…” I look at her and say: “Well sweetheart, you will understand that later. Health is the greatest gift you can receive.” At that moment, we had no idea how quickly she would learn that lesson. Because exactly 24 hours later, we hear at the hospital in Amersfoort that Loek, our youngest, who is a year and a half old, has cancer. Our life suddenly comes to a standstill.’
Calling
The day before, Sanne had called the family doctor for a reason. She explains: ‘Loek had not been sleeping well for some time. He cried a lot at night, and it kept getting worse. At a certain point, that was the night before my birthday, I thought: it seems like he is in real pain. I started rubbing his little belly and got scared. I felt a hard lump coming out from under his ribs.’ She called the family doctor and was able to come in with Loek the next day. The doctor immediately referred them to the emergency department. After a few hours, the diagnosis followed, which was later also confirmed at the Máxima Center: a Wilms tumor.
Sanne says: ‘The kidney tumor was already more than 10 by 10 centimeters. How is that possible in such a small body, you think. And how could we not have noticed this? That feeling of guilt is huge, even now. Even though they tell you over and over that there was nothing you could have done better or differently.’
Treatment plan
The plan was four weeks of chemotherapy to make the tumor smaller and firmer, then surgery, followed by additional chemotherapy. But after the surgery, there was a setback: a more intensive treatment was needed. Sanne explains: ‘Loek had to receive radiation therapy every day for three weeks. An intense period, but Loek is doing well. Fixed routines and rituals, such as choosing the color of the lights in the radiation room, give him structure and a sense of control. Because he cannot lie still as a toddler, he has to be fasting every morning and receive sedation. That is confusing for him. His grandmother comes every morning and distracts him by going biking with him, while the other children have breakfast. At the same time, he is on a more intensive chemotherapy schedule with different types of chemotherapy, every three weeks for three days per cycle, for a total of eight months. That more intensive treatment was quite a shock, but we quickly shifted our mindset. There is still a plan and still a good prognosis, and that is what we hold on to!’
‘Doing nothing’
Roy says: ‘Despite everything Loek has to go through, he still feels at ease at the Máxima Center. If something has to be done, he really does not like it, and that is heartbreaking, but we also see that he can quickly be happy again. In the mornings he often asks: are we going to do “nothing” today? In other words: will nothing be done to me today? You know it has to happen to make him better, but it is very tough to hear his desperate crying. We do everything we can to distract and support him. But as intense as those moments are, he recovers quickly and is resilient. Loek finds the Máxima Center a nice place to play, to ride his bike, and to just be. It is still more of a challenge to get him to go home than to get him to come here!’
Positive
‘So despite everything, things are going quite well, but as a family we are in a kind of survival mode. That overwhelming fear of losing your child is always there. But on the other hand, there is also trust and a positive feeling that things will turn out well,’ Sanne says. Sister Suus (7) and brother Fedde (4) often come with Loek to the Máxima Center. Suus understands enough to realize that cancer is serious and therefore asks many questions. As a four-year-old, Fedde more often seeks closeness with his parents. The treatments have recently been completed. Sanne says: ‘It may sound strange, but this year has also brought us many beautiful moments. We have enjoyed the small moments with our children so much more and, out of necessity, had time for what truly matters. And the resilience of children has amazed us enormously.’
Being supported
‘From the very first moment, the Máxima Center feels like a safe haven,’ Roy says. ‘After a few months, my wife said to me: “I think that right now I would actually rather be here than in our ‘normal’ life. Everyone here understands exactly what you are going through, you do not have to explain anything.” All the people who work here have attention, love, and time for you. Everyone thinks along with you, and you are helped in every possible way, so that you can focus on one thing: being there for your child. We truly feel supported.’
Visit by the Queen
Loek’s story came to the attention of Her Majesty Queen Máxima during her visit to the Princess Máxima Center on December 18, 2025. Sanne says: ‘It was incredibly special to meet the Queen. Who ever gets to experience something like that?! Her genuine interest and involvement made a deep impression on us. We can be proud that the hospital bears her name!’
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