For women with cancer of the female reproductive organs, such as womb cancer, ovarian cancer, and vulvar cancer, surgery is an important part of treatment. Women who are less fit have a lower chance of going through treatment successfully, and also a lower chance of surviving the cancer. Complications after surgery can strongly affect recovery. Prehabilitation means training before surgery. It helps women become as fit as possible before their operation, so they can recover faster afterwards. In this thesis, we show that prehabilitation can be easily used in regular healthcare. It improves physical fitness, muscle strength, and nutrition. Women also felt better prepared for their treatment. Women who underwent prehabilitation suffered fewer complications after surgery, especially fewer wound problems. This shows that making women stronger, both physically and mentally, before treatment can improve recovery and treatment results.
Joëlle Dhanis (1999) completed her medical degree at Radboud University in 2023, after which she worked as a MD-PhD candidate conducting research on prehabilitation and lifestyle. Her interest in lifestyle and the musculoskeletal system stems from her background as an elite gymnast, during which she won multiple national titles. She currently works in orthopaedics and serves as a medical doctor at motocross competitions.