We are pleased to announce the recipients of the National Research Grant Round 2023
Dr. Hanna van Waart
Read about Dr. Hanna van Waart, one of our Post-Doctoral fellowship recipients.
Dr. Hanna van Waart
Prehabilitation for patients with cancer: participatory research
Cancer is a life altering diagnosis that far too many people will encounter within their lifetime, either directly or through whānau. With improved treatments, and earlier and better diagnosis, cancer survival rates have improved. However, many patients experience several short- and long-term side effects due to cancer and its treatment, such as fatigue. Rehabilitation programmes are well known to mitigate and treat these side effects. Prehabilitation, the phase before surgery, has the potential to improve current health and overall functioning to better withstand upcoming treatments. It can include a variety of modalities like exercise, dietary, and psychosocial interventions.
In this participatory research we are a team of patients, researchers and healthcare professionals. With the integration of patients’ real-world knowledge and lived experiences, researchers’ theoretical and methodological expertise, and healthcare providers theoretical and practical knowledge and expertise we will co-design prehabilitation interventions. Resulting in tailored and thereby more effective prehabilitation interventions. And ultimately improving outcomes for people with cancer in Aotearoa.