News release | 02-12-2025 | 16:05

Her Majesty Queen Máxima will be present on Thursday afternoon, December 18, at the signing of a four-year partnership between the Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The partnership focuses on strengthening the practical knowledge and skills of pediatric radiotherapy teams in Eastern Europe and Eurasia, so that children with cancer worldwide can be treated more safely and effectively. The International Atomic Energy Agency has asked the Princess Máxima Center to serve as a training center where medical teams can receive education, observerships, fellowships, and mentorships. Efforts are also underway to foster closer collaboration between the involved institutions and to explore possibilities for future exchange of research data.

Worldwide, more than 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer annually. Radiotherapy is an important part of treatment in about 30% of cases. There are significant differences in expertise and access to modern equipment. Through this partnership, the Princess Máxima Center supports hospitals in the region in applying radiotherapy with minimal late effects for the child. The first training sessions start on Monday, December 15, 2025.
 
During the visit, Queen Máxima will receive explanations about the content and goals of the collaboration between the Princess Máxima Center and the IAEA, and will witness the official signing of the partnership. She will then speak with patients and healthcare professionals, international partners, and administrators from Máxima and UMC Utrecht. Afterwards, Queen Máxima will visit the day treatment and outpatient clinic, where a brief meeting with a patient and parents will take place.
 
The Princess Máxima Center is the national center for pediatric oncology in the Netherlands. Through its Máxima International department, the center plays an active role in improving care for children with cancer worldwide, including knowledge exchange, capacity building, and training of healthcare professionals.

RVD, no. 324