Combining family screenings with health education is really rewarding work

Petra Daniels is an FH consultant at the regional LEEFH Center Elisabeth Tweesteden Hospital (ETZ) in Waalwijk. "I really enjoy working here," says Petra Daniels.
"I am a research assistant, I work for the internal medicine clinic, and since November 2018, I have also been a LEEFH consultant. My most important task as a LEEFH consultant is to screen families in which FH has been diagnosed. It's important work.
The sooner someone knows they have FH, the sooner treatment can start and the less damage there will be to their blood vessels. That's why it's so important for children to be tested at an early age (from 6 years old) so they can start treatment with
as soon as possible."

The sooner someone knows they have FH, the better it is.

Once someone has been diagnosed with FH, Petra Daniels screens the family and they can contact her for information and questions.

I share my knowledge with patients, providing people with information and education. Good nutrition and exercise are good for everyone, but for an FH patient it is even more important to keep an eye on their cholesterol and weight."
In the past, people were screened by the STOEH (Foundation for the Detection of Hereditary Hypercholesterolemia). This was a nationwide population screening program, and FH consultants were able to actively approach the family members of an FH patient themselves. Nowadays, with the new privacy law, this is no longer allowed and information must be passed on to family members via the index patient (the first person in a family to be tested).
This makes it a lot more difficult.
This FH consultant really enjoys her work. "I enjoy figuring out and solving complicated things
. And it's a challenge to put the screening of FH patients back on the map for the ETZ.