Carmen Monge-Montero, Researcher and Global Cancer Advocate, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“‘You’re suddenly dealing with cancer in a language that isn’t yours, in a country that isn’t yours, under a system you don’t understand…’
Interview 77 — Katherine Saville (Scotland to Netherlands) | Mano Beyond Cancer
I’m very happy to share this interview, one that is deeply personal to me.
As someone who was both a migrant and a cancer patient in the Netherlands, I know how isolating and overwhelming that experience can be. I often wish an organization like Cancer Support Netherlands had existed back then, an organization that understands what it means to navigate cancer far from home, in another language, in another system.
Katherine Saville, the founder, has created exactly that space. Today, Cancer Support Netherlands connects more than 80 people with lived cancer experience, offering community, peer support, advocacy and a place where no one has to go through cancer alone, especially those of us who are far from our countries and families.
Katherine is originally from Scotland and living in the Netherlands for 17 years, she’s a mum of two teens, two dogs and two cats, and someone who has faced HER2-positive breast cancer twice, including a stage IV diagnosis.
In this conversation, Katherine talks about:
- What it feels like to receive a diagnosis and treatment in a language that isn’t your own
- Why community is essential for people facing cancer abroad
- Her advocacy for treatment information in multiple languages
Thank you, Katherine, for your openness and for the community you are building.”
More posts featuring Carmen Monge-Montero.