‘If you have even a little bit of energy, move! Because it really helps in your recovery process.’

Tibbe: ‘In the last episode of Niet Klein Te Krijgen you can see that we celebrated a party in my room in the Máxima. We popped a bottle of alcohol-free champagne, the catering came with ‘bitterballen’ and our nursing specialist walked in later with a confetti cannon. It was great fun. After that we were allowed to go home.’  

Rehabilitation

Now, two months later, Tibbe says: ‘It really feels like a relief that it’s all over. I walk on crutches and am doing a lot of rehabilitation. That means practicing with the prosthesis every day. Twice a week with a physiotherapist at home and once a month at the rehabilitation center, De Hoogstraat. They adjust my prosthesis there, but I also do exercises like walking on the bridge and climbing stairs.’

Orthopedic instrument maker

Coen is an orthopedic instrument maker at De Hoogstraat. He says: ‘When Tibbe comes in, I look with the rehabilitation doctor and physiotherapist at what he can do. Then we look at how we can adjust the prosthesis accordingly. Tibbe practices with the physiotherapist. If something needs to be adjusted, like the alignment of the prosthesis, I do that. We keep looking for the best solutions and possibilities so Tibbe can function the best.’

Don’t think, just walk

Tibbe: ‘At home, I practice with my prosthesis. Sometimes with one crutch and sometimes without any. My tip to others is: don’t think about it. Just walk. Because when you walk 'normally,' you don’t think about how you do it. It works the same with a prosthesis. Slowly but surely, it’s getting better. If I keep going like this, I could be walking without crutches in about six months.

Regain trust

Being sick and going through the entire treatment was mentally and physically tough, but in the end, I’ve come out pretty well. I just notice that I am very tired. I have to slowly build up school again. I go twice a week now and start a bit later, so I can rest more in the morning. Besides that, I have to regain trust in my body. If I feel something strange in my eyes now, I think: I hope it’s nothing serious.

Gym

During my hospital stays at the Máxima Center, I was often in the gym. Even on days when I was very tired from the chemotherapy and really didn’t feel like it, I still went for a bit. I want to tell other children in my situation: if you have even a little bit of energy, move for a bit! Because a movement routine helps you in your rehabilitation process.

Ringing the bell

On June 13, 2023, a group of people gathered for me. I had finished my treatment, so I was allowed to ‘ring the bell’. A total of 17 people were there, including my family, friends, nurses, nurse specialists, oncologist, psychologist, and physiotherapist. There were so many of us that we gathered in the gym. It was such a special moment. That was really amazing.’

The gym at the Princess Máxima Center is part of the Maximaal Bewegen sports and exercise program. Every day, a movement program is offered in the gym, movement garden, and the OKE (parent-child room) aimed at faster and better recovery for children with cancer. The program is used about 4,000 times a year. Unfortunately, the health insurer does not cover this movement program; only basic physiotherapy is reimbursed. For the annual funding of this program, we are fully dependent on the Princess Máxima Center Foundation.