TSW completely turned my world upside down.

I was pregnant with twins and already a mother to a two-and-a-half-year-old. Then TSW completely turned my world upside down.

I had suffered from eczema from a young age. As a child, I was already prescribed topical steroids, along with other “new treatments” aimed at providing relief. Throughout my childhood, I made countless visits to the dermatologist, and during school breaks I was routinely covered in a thick layer of greasy ointment. As I got older, I generally managed to keep my symptoms under control.

Until my body started showing that something else was going on. There was a different story behind my symptoms than was previously thought.

There were clear signs that something was wrong. The prescribed creams were no longer helping, and my symptoms began to change into something I no longer recognized as my known eczema. The affected areas of skin spread further and further, reaching areas where I had never experienced eczema before. The progression was rapid. More and more areas became affected, the itching intensified, and my symptoms barely responded to treatment anymore.

That was the beginning of my search for answers, a journey that would ultimately lead me into an intense and difficult process: TSW.

Everything that had once felt so ordinary suddenly became a struggle.

Hugging my child sometimes felt impossible. Touch and warmth could cause pain on my skin. A warm shower, something that had once been comforting, became a source of pain and itching. The water felt like sharp needles against my skin, drying myself felt like torture, and once the shower was over, a severe wave of itching would often follow.

Sleeping became almost impossible. The deep, relentless itching kept me awake at night. I could no longer fall asleep, sometimes scratching myself until I bled. And if I did manage to fall asleep, it was often not until the early hours of the morning.

Social plans, grocery shopping, even a simple visit with family became sources of stress. I felt trapped inside my own body.

It felt as though everything was happening at once: the deep, unbearable itching, the burning pain in my skin, and the sleepless nights.

Just as difficult as the physical symptoms were the uncertainty, the unpredictability, and the lack of recognition and guidance.

It was a difficult and, at times, incredibly lonely battle.

I had always thought that my medical background would help me, that my experience as a GP would mean my story would be taken seriously by my treating dermatologist. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Questions remained unanswered, and my concerns were not taken seriously.

I soon realized just how significant the lack of knowledge and understanding surrounding TSW was in the Netherlands. There were hardly any protocols, very little information, and almost no support for people going through this process.

That was exactly what I needed most at the time: someone who would truly listen, who understood what I was going through, who looked beyond my skin and saw the person behind it.

It was painful to realize that something so profound and overwhelming was barely recognized. But that experience also awakened something in me: I wanted to make sure that others would not have to experience the same loneliness and uncertainty.

That is why I wanted to create a place where people feel heard, understood, and supported so that no one has to go through this process alone.

While I was still in the middle of my own recovery, I began building something I had desperately needed myself: a place of recognition, support, and professional guidance for people with TSW.

A place where you are heard. Where someone truly understands what you are going through. Where you receive guidance, step by step, throughout your journey.

I use my background in healthcare to provide safe and personalized care, supported by research and continued development, always with a strong focus on safety and individual needs.

Today, I, together with my amazing team, have the privilege of supporting and treating people, with TSW every day.

Not only with medical knowledge and treatment, but above all with genuine human understanding.

It gives me an incredible sense of purpose to support people who are going through what I have experienced myself. To see someone regain hope, celebrate small victories, and learn to trust their body and its ability to heal, that is truly invaluable.

Even when it sometimes feels hopeless, there is always a way forward.

You do not have to go through this process alone.

Together, step by step and at your own pace, we can work towards recovery.

Because even when it feels hopeless, there is always a way forward.

And you deserve to walk that path without having to walk it alone.