In the midst of life. Traveling all over the world. Enjoying life with her partner. Taking a leap of faith and becoming a self-employed career coach.

And then suddenly the diagnosis of breast cancer

This happened to Denise van Marwijk, one of the career coaches at Dynamisch Bureau.
Denise: “I had just turned 51 four days earlier, was busy working, and full of plans for the future. And then suddenly, your whole world is turned upside down.” She put all her plans on hold. “The treatment plan I have is tough: chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, radiation. I informed my clients that I was ill. I really thought I wouldn’t be able to do anything and would be at home for a year. After the first three rounds of chemo, I felt quite unwell and wasn’t able to do much.” But the urge to move forward can’t be ignored. Despite feeling unwell for days at a time, there were also good moments for Denise. And in those moments, she felt the itch and thought, “I want my life back! I want to work—even if it’s just for a few hours!” She shared this wish with me, and I told her she was of course welcome to continue coaching. I truly admire how Denise is handling her illness and how, even in this situation, she still wants to be of value to our coachees as a career coach. “On the days I feel well, I work for an hour or two. And what a positive boost that gives me! Work helps me forget that I’m sick for a while, it gives my day a sense of purpose and brings me tremendous satisfaction. I’m simply part of things again, and I don’t have to focus on my illness for a bit. Of course, I also shared my diagnosis with my coachees: I have cancer, and maybe that feels (too) intense for you. But all ‘my’ coachees chose to stay with me. I’m incredibly grateful for that!” “I want to be an example for others: to show that even when you’re ill, you can still do things that bring you joy. People often associate cancer with death. I want to show that life goes on, even if it means making adjustments.” There are pitfalls too: I used to work 50 hours a week. I quickly realized that’s no longer possible, I really have to learn to listen to my body more and say “no” sooner. And to ask for help earlier, because right now I can’t do everything on my own. That can be frustrating at times, but I also see the breast cancer as a life lesson. I exercise a lot under the guidance of an oncological physiotherapist, I cook for myself, I walk sections of the Pieterpad in between chemo sessions, and I try to focus as much as possible on what is there, instead of what’s missing. And yes, I have my down days too—when I’m tired and everything feels like too much. Then I have to dig deep. But there’s a lot that makes up for it. One of my coachees recently said, “You’re a wonder of nature!” I really appreciate that,on days like that, it means I can still be an example.