Saving Lives with Groundbreaking Research

On Monday, 28 September, the 6th edition of the Cure for Cancer Golf Tournament took place at Golfbaan Stippelberg. More than 80 golfers came together for a special day filled with sport, great company and a shared commitment to the cause. The fantastic result: an incredible €115,000 raised for scientific research into kidney, bladder and prostate cancer.

The conditions could hardly have been better. The sun was shining, the course was in beautiful condition, and there was a fantastic atmosphere from the morning welcome right through to the evening programme.

Under the guidance of Tournament Director Daan Slooter, the golfers headed out onto the course. John Woof once again challenged participants in Beat the Pro, while professional golfer Vince van Veen joined different golfers throughout the day. In the end, Caroline’s Angels took the top spot and were crowned the winners of the 6th edition.

Alongside the golf, the work of Cure for Cancer was, of course, at the heart of the day. Three of our physician-researchers, Luuk de Haan, Vera Sweere and Philip Oldenburg, were present throughout the day.

For our golfers and guests, this was a wonderful opportunity to meet the people behind the research and learn more about the work made possible by their support. During the evening programme, the researchers also spoke about their work and the importance of funding scientific research into kidney, bladder and prostate cancer.

Following the golf programme, players and guests came together for drinks and dinner, accompanied by live music. A highlight of the evening was the auction, led by Wilco van Schaik.

The auction featured a fantastic collection of experiences and prizes, from luxury stays in London, Berlin and Paris to Curaçao, La Manga and Verbier, as well as art, wine and whisky, golf, theatre and a Big Green Egg.

The raffle also generated plenty of excitement and helped raise valuable additional funds.

A day like this is only possible thanks to the commitment and generosity of so many people and organisations.

A special thank you goes to our main sponsor, The Wine List, for once again supporting Cure for Cancer. In addition to providing fantastic prizes for the winning golfers, they also supplied the wines served during dinner, carefully selected to complement each course.

The auction was also made possible thanks to a wide range of generous contributions. Our thanks go to Sofitel London St James, Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin, Conference Hotel Group, InterContinental Berlin, Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile, Old Quarry Golf Course, OGÉR, Scotch Whisky Investments, Big Green Egg Nederland, Tanja ten Wolde, FortaInvest, International Brands Group, Bilderberg Parkhotel Rotterdam, Curaçao Exclusive and Kesbeke, as well as all the individuals who generously made their homes, boats, collections, time and networks available to support the event.

For the raffle, we received wonderful prizes from Hôtel Fouquet’s Paris, Grand Hyatt Berlin, Pullman Paris Centre-Bercy, Flight Golf and Pure Golf, complemented by spontaneous contributions from Pasqualle Coffa and Wilco van Schaik.

There was also tremendous support both on and around the course. LightTown Smokers brought a chef to Stippelberg, who prepared fresh bites for our golfers throughout the day. Titleist provided four new golf bags, with additional support from Duca del Cosma. We also received a number of wonderful contributions for the goodie bags, including an exceptionally generous donation from Gisou.

Our sincere thanks also go to Dorine Daemen and the entire team at Golfbaan Stippelberg for their warm welcome and invaluable help in organising the event, and to B&B Op d’n Kreijtenberg for taking such good care of our team and players during their stay.

And, of course, our thanks go to photographer Guus J. Baks, who once again captured the day so beautifully and generously donated his time and photography to Cure for Cancer.

Above all, we would like to thank the more than 80 golfers, our guests and everyone who placed a bid, made a donation or contributed in any other way.

A result we are incredibly proud of. Thank you all.

On Saturday, 6 June, nearly 300 guests, partners, researchers and friends of Cure for Cancer came together at Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk for the 17th Cure for Cancer Gala. The foundation supports scientific research within the Department of Urology at Amsterdam UMC.

The annual gala is the foundation’s most important fundraising event and supports innovative cancer research in the Netherlands. Since its establishment, Cure for Cancer has invested more than €14 million in research into kidney, bladder and prostate cancer. Through the foundation, talented physician-researchers are given the opportunity to focus their research on improving diagnostics, developing more effective treatments and enhancing the quality of life for patients.

The gala evening was inspiringly hosted by Karin Bloemen and Richard Groenendijk, who generously donated their time to support the foundation. With their warmth, humour and personal commitment, they brought the story behind Cure for Cancer to life throughout the evening, highlighting the importance of scientific research. A highlight of the evening was the auction, led by Wouter van Aken of Adams Amsterdam Auctions. Guests bid enthusiastically on a wide range of exceptional auction lots. The auction concluded with a final round in which guests were invited to invest directly in the future of cancer research by supporting a physician-researcher. The generosity shown exceeded all expectations and once again demonstrated the extraordinary commitment of those present to the mission of Cure for Cancer.

The evening featured impressive performances by Emma Kok, Karin Bloemen and Tangerine, Tobi Gems and Beethoven Legends. Together, they created moments of reflection, inspiration and connection throughout the evening. Thanks to the combined generosity of our guests, sponsors, partners and friends of Cure for Cancer, an incredible €805,000 was raised for cancer research.

Throughout the evening, guests were given a unique insight into the research funded by the foundation. Alongside the personal stories of patients, our physician-researchers spoke about their work, their ambitions and the breakthroughs they are working towards. Professor Dr Harrie Beerlage, Chairman of Cure for Cancer, emphasised the importance of investing in research:

“Every breakthrough begins with a question, a researcher and the financial resources needed to find the answer. Thanks to the commitment and generosity of our supporters, we can continue investing in talented researchers who work every day towards better treatments and better outcomes for patients and their families.”

From left to right: board members Patricia Zondervan, Frida van den Maagdenberg, Marcel van den Heuvel and Harrie Beerlage.

Guests were also introduced to the new generation of Cure for Cancer researchers: Philip Oldenburg, Luuk de Haan and Vera Sweere. The foundation also celebrated the achievements of researchers who recently completed their PhDs, Dr Orlane Figaroa and Dr Luna van den Brink. This year, Katelijne de Bie, Nora Nendriks and Hugo Schuil will also complete their PhDs.

This incredible result would not have been possible without the support of our partners and sponsors. Our special thanks go to Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin, The Wine List and Heuvelman Sound & Vision, whose commitment and support played an important role in the success of the evening. We would also like to thank &friends.events for their creative contribution to the entertainment programme and the overall experience of the evening.

The gala was organised on behalf of Cure for Cancer by Alana Byrne and Herman Koekkoek, in close collaboration with the board, volunteers, partners and the many dedicated supporters who made this special evening possible.

We would like to thank all our guests, sponsors, volunteers, researchers, artists and partners who contributed to the success of this special evening.

Together, we continue to invest in hope. Together, we continue to invest in research.

View the full photo gallery here!

Save the Date: 29 May 2027 – 18th Cure for Cancer Gala

Photography: Guus J. Baks

Last Friday, our researcher Orlane Figaroa successfully defended her PhD thesis – a major milestone following years of dedication, perseverance and hard work.

Her research focuses on improving the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma, a rare but aggressive form of urinary tract cancer. By optimising the care pathway, this work contributes to better treatment outcomes and more personalised care.

Orlane, we are incredibly proud of you. This achievement is the result of years of dedication, resilience and a determination to make a real difference for patients.

“Orlane’s PhD is a wonderful milestone and a powerful example of the impact that dedicated researchers can have. We are incredibly proud of her.” – Prof. Dr Harrie Beerlage, Chairman of Stichting Cure for Cancer

And to everyone who supports Cure for Cancer – this is your impact too. Research like this would not be possible without your support.

Want to learn more? Read the full PhD thesis here.

#CureForCancer #CancerResearch #PhD #MedicalResearch #Urology #Oncology #Research #Impact #Proud

Our researcher Luuk de Haan presented exciting new research on urinary extracellular vesicles as promising novel biomarkers for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), alongside research into label-free imaging using HHGM as a fast and innovative approach to diagnosis at this year’s European Association of Urology Congress.

This is exactly the kind of research your support makes possible.
Innovative, forward-thinking and focused on improving how we detect and treat cancer.

We are incredibly proud to see our researchers contributing at this level.

It was also wonderful to see our board member Patricia Zondervan playing an active role at the congress. Patricia is a panel member for the European kidney cancer guidelines and delivered several plenary talks during the event.

If you’re interested in learning more, you can watch here.

#CureForCancer #EAU26 #London #RCC #CancerResearch #MedicalInnovation #Urology #FutureOfMedicine #SupportScience #Impact

During Tuesday evening’s Walking Dinner at Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin, people with a shared passion for supporting cancer research came together to learn more about the work of physician-researchers at Amsterdam UMC and St. Antonius Hospital. These researchers are supported by the Cure for Cancer Foundation in their research into kidney, bladder and prostate cancer.

Our Chairman, Prof. Dr Harrie Beerlage, opened the evening. This was followed by a clear financial overview from our Treasurer, Marcel van den Heuvel. He explained how proceeds from our auctions and donations are allocated and highlighted the increasing out-of-pocket costs faced by the foundation, while our aim remains to direct as much funding as possible towards scientific research. This sparked valuable discussions.

Participants asked themselves: “How can we help reduce these costs so that more money can go directly towards research?” They responded with ideas, contacts and concrete offers to help and contribute. We now have dozens of promising leads to follow up on – across the travel industry, hospitality, new partnerships and more.

At the heart of the evening were physician-researchers Orlane Figaroa, Vera Sweere, Philip Oldenburg and Luuk de Haan. Through clear and inspiring presentations, they shared insights into their research into different forms of cancer, giving everyone a better understanding of the importance of their work and exactly where their support goes. A special thank you to Dr Patricia Zondervan, who led the Q&A and created space for an open and valuable dialogue.

Thank you to everyone who joined us – for your energy, ideas and belief in what we are building together. And a special thank you to Marianne Stokkermans and Stephan Stokkermans, and their wonderful team at Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin, for their warm welcome and outstanding hospitality.

To be continued!

#CureForCancer #CancerResearch #Fundraising #MedicalInnovation #WalkingDinner #StrongerTogether

Three of our talented researchers, Luuk de Haan, Vera Sweere and Philip Oldenburg, proudly presented their latest research at one of Europe’s leading urology conferences.

Luuk de Haan (Amsterdam UMC) presented his study on how renal tumour biopsies can help prevent overtreatment of cT1 renal cell carcinoma – an important step towards more precise kidney cancer care.

Vera Sweere (Antonius Ziekenhuis, Nieuwegein) presented a study investigating whether PSMA PET/CT provides additional value in predicting the extent of prostate tumours. Her research helps to refine treatment decisions for patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.

Philip Oldenburg (Amsterdam UMC) presented first-in-human results on next-generation OCT imaging for urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC). His work highlights the potential of OCT to improve bladder cancer detection through real-time, high-resolution imaging.

Together, they’re pushing the boundaries of kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer research - work that stands at the forefront of smarter and more personalised cancer care.

We’re proud to support this next generation of researchers, and deeply grateful to our donors whose generosity makes this possible.

💚 Want to support research like this? Donate here.

#EMUC25 #CancerResearch #KidneyCancer #BladderCancer #ProstateCancer #MedicalInnovation #AmsterdamUMC #AntoniusZiekenhuis #FutureOfMedicine #YoungResearchers #CureForCancer #SupportScience #DonateNow