With Leon, you are a person first, and a patient second.
I have always been healthy. That is, until a seemingly minor medical issue unexpectedly brought something much more serious to light. Following an inflammation in my shoulder, I was prescribed medication. When I subsequently discovered blood in my urine, I was referred to a urologist as a precaution. The examination that followed turned my life completely upside down.
Maintaining autonomy in life-altering decisions
It turned out that my bladder was largely filled with tumors, and there were also metastases in the lymph nodes. At one point, I was even told that I could no longer be helped. Those are words you never forget.
An intensive medical trajectory followed, involving chemotherapy, examinations, and consultations at various hospitals. Several specialists eventually came to the same conclusion: I should have my bladder removed.
To me, that felt like a profound decision. I knew myself well and understood that a life without a bladder would have a significant impact on my quality of life. That is why I asked many questions. Not because I lacked confidence in the doctors—on the contrary. I have great respect for the people who treated me. But I wanted to understand why certain choices were being proposed and be able to consciously participate in the decision-making process regarding my treatment.
That sense of autonomy was incredibly important to me.
Focusing on the person behind the patient
Through my employer at the time, I came into contact with Energetisch Centrum Leonardus. During that period, I was seeking supplementary support alongside conventional medical care. When your life is suddenly turned upside down, you look for something to hold on to.
During the years that followed, I remained under the supervision of my treating physicians, while simultaneously receiving treatments at Leonardus. For me, these treatments were never a replacement for conventional care, but rather a supplement to it.
What struck me from the beginning was the way I was received. With Leon, I felt like a person first and a patient second. There was time to talk, to ask questions, and to process everything that was happening. That alone provided me with a great deal of peace.
Post-treatment experiences and a changed perspective
After a treatment, I sometimes felt tired and needed to rest. At other times, I noticed that I had more energy and found it easier to get through my day. I cannot explain exactly how that works. I only know that it made me feel good and that it helped me approach my consultations with doctors and the rest of my treatment trajectory with more calm and confidence.
Because of everything that has happened, I have also started to look at health differently. For me, recovery is not just about medical treatments. It is also about how you treat yourself, the choices you make, and how you view quality of life. My illness has changed my outlook on life. Relationships changed, my work changed, and my priorities shifted as well.
I believe that it was precisely the combination of conventional medical care, my own choices, and supplementary support that brought me so much. Not because one single component solves everything, but because the whole helped me stay true to my own course.
According to my doctors, no new tumor growth has been detected since 2018. I am incredibly grateful for that. Of course, you never completely forget such a period, but I also try not to be constantly preoccupied with it. Life has found its space again.
What I would like to share with others is: stay true to yourself. Ask questions, including critical ones. Delve into the possibilities and, above all, see what feels right for you. Ultimately, it is about making choices together with your treatment team that you can fully support.