Professor Marjolein Drent, emeritus professor of Interstitial Long Disease (ILD) at Maastricht University, received the Sarcodiosis Crystal Award for Excellence in Research and Clinical Care for her merit in the field of research and guidance of sarcoid patterns. This prize was awarded for the first time this year during a Gala in Washington DC by the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR), an international organization that is committed to more awareness and improving care for sarcoidosis patients.

During the gala she was addressed by Marcel Veltkamp, her colleague pulmonary physician at the ILD Expertise Center, of the St. Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein. Since she could not be present at this festive meeting, he also received the Award. “I feel very honored and privileged that I have been nominated and selected. It feels special that as a non-American, I am the first to receive this prestigious prize, “says Marjolein Drent.

The jury report includes:

The impact of Dr. Drent on the advancement of sarcoidosis, both clinically and scientifically, is profound. A multidisciplinary approach, focusing on fatigue and other sarcoidosis-related symptoms affecting the quality of life of patients, their partners and family, is critical to the success of managing the disease. 

Also look at the video of the presentation with her word of thanks

The winning of the Sarcoidosis Crystal Award coincides with the 45th anniversary of the Sarcoidosis Interest Association The Netherlands: Sarcoidose.nl. Drent: “I hope that this recognition is also bearing fruit in the Netherlands and leads to more awareness, attention and understanding of sarcoidosis in general and the problems that patients struggle with.”

See also: news at St. Antonius Ziekenhuis: Link