Tell us about where you currently live (city/country) and how you ended up in this location.

I was born in Antwerp, Belgium and I am still living and working there. I love my city and my country with its advantages and disadvantages.

Tell us about your work - your job title, where you work, how long you've worked in the field, areas of focus or research, etc.

I am a women's health physiotherapist specialized in pelvic floor assessment and rehabilitation. I finished my PhD about pelvic floor dysfunction in women in 2018 and I am now proceeding with postdoctoral research, teaching at the University of Antwerp and working in the University hospital with women of all ages. My focus is on urogynaecology, on perinatal pelvic floor problems and the functional assessment of the pelvic floor. I love to combine functional clinical assessments with transperineal dynamic ultrasound (3D/4D). I am very engaged to raise awareness about pelvic floor birth trauma and I am aiming to improve the multidisciplinary care (prevention and treatment) of those problems in a patient centered approach.

When and why did you decide to join IUGA?

I joined IUGA during my PhD to submit my first research results in Capetown 2016.

What has been your most rewarding or memorable IUGA experience?

My observership in Sydney, Australia (2019). I had the privilege to visit Prof. Dietz in Sydney during a six week observership, to cooperate in research and learn about the functional assessment of the pelvic floor by ultrasound imaging. Without any doubt, that is my most rewarding IUGA experience. Because of the challenge of the research stay abroad in an excellent Australian team on one hand, and because of the overwhelming IUGA support I received during and after that experience. Several IUGA committee members, the board, the support team, my mentors and many other members... They all showed interest and gave me opportunities to grow into this interesting domain. And I am sure that beautiful corporations and friendships will grow from that.

What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it?

The Pelvic Floor Recovery books by Sue Croft. I would definitely recommend them.

What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Enjoying life with my kids and husband is definitely #1. I love cycling and exercising and I am not afraid to train for sportive challenges, but I also love a glass of wine, nice food and friends!

What is one "fun fact" about you?

What a difficult questions... I would love to bounce that one back..! Meet me and see for yourself.