Hi there! For the coming weeks, our blog will be dedicated to our Young SIOP Award winners!
Please meet Sebastian Bon, YI from the Netherlands, in their own words.
My name is Sebastian Bon, and I work as a clinician PhD-student at the Prinses Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology in Utrecht, The Netherlands. My PhD project focuses on the psychosocial aspects of germline sequencing in children with cancer. A topic at the intersection of pediatric oncology, psycho-oncology, ethics, and genetics that has fascinated me since I first encountered it as a master's student. The interdisciplinary nature of this field is also reflected in the diverse backgrounds of my supervisors, including prof. dr. M.A. Grootenhuis, prof. dr. M.M. van den Heuvel-Eibrink, dr. M.C.J. Jongmans and dr. R.H.P. Wouters. Our study is conducted in close collaboration with genetic researchers, such as prof. dr. R Kuiper, prof. dr. HM. Merks, dr. J. Hol and J. Bakhuizen.
What I like about our work is that we conduct both qualitative and quantitative research. Interviews with parents and patients allow us to really zoom in on the experiences of a small number of families, while our questionnaire study provides us insight into the experiences of a large number of families. In general, we find that families want to be actively involved in decisions regarding their DNA. Parents and adolescents also believe that children should, from a young age onwards, receive information regarding genetic testing. It is also important to note that a significant proportion of the families refuses germline genetic sequencing. In the final stages of our project, we will develop educational tools to support counseling. Our aim is to ensure that every family can make a choice that suits them.
We are honored that the SIOP scientific board has recognized our interview study among adolescents with a SIOP Young Investigator Award 2023. I look forward to presenting our work in Ottawa!
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