I grew up in the quiet village of 'Balen', surrounded by grazing sheep, cows, goats, chickens and vast corn fields, in the middle of nature and farms. My childhood and youth revolved around discovering, crafting, music, drawing and caring for animals.  I preferred to lie on my back in the field for hours, staring at the clouds. I come from a family with one older brother and a mother who, as a single parent with limited resources, did her utmost to allow my talents to flourish as a child."

I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Social Work at Thomas More in Geel as a pioneer in my family, the first generation student to complete higher studies. I financed my education myself by working at a young age, an achievement I am particularly proud of. Although the road was not always easy, I always had a clear goal in mind. My passion to make a positive impact on the world grew with the support of my teachers. This motivated me to subsequently pursue a Master's degree in European Studies in Maastricht and a Master's degree in International Politics in Leuven.

I had just landed my dream job at the United Nations and was working on the youth-led social innovation team in Paris. Life smiled at me and I was in the prime of my life, carefree and full of energy. Until on July 1 I was confronted with the most terrifying words: 'you have cancer.' It was cervical cancer with metastases. My world completely collapsed and with a chance of survival of only 5 to 10%, my resilience and determination were sorely tested. I lost my job, my savings, my future, my sense of femininity... basically everything. But miraculously, I survived cancer and decided to do something valuable with my life story.

I started a peer group for young people with cancer in Flanders under the name 'flaya' and founded my first social enterprise, called 'The Big C'. The years after my cancer treatment were an intense roller coaster. I first ended up in a deep black hole and needed time to recover both physically and mentally. Building my identity from the vulnerable position of a former cancer patient was challenging, and there was little help available. This was my motivation to set up the peer group and my social enterprise. I no longer wanted to be part of the problem, but part of the solution.

I was diagnosed with cancer again, this time skin cancer. In the meantime, I had become a successful entrepreneur and had turned all my setbacks into something positive. Without any experience, knowledge or capital, I completely immersed myself in the entrepreneurial adventure. Maybe it was impulsive and naive, but when my heart beats for something, I go for it 100%. I quickly became swallowed up by the demanding entrepreneurial culture and completely lost myself. Self-care and love were replaced by short nights, long days, unhealthy habits and the constant feeling of inadequacy. The new diagnosis was a big wake-up call. I crashed harder than ever before and sought help from a team of health experts.

I beat cancer for the second time and became the CEO of my own health. I decided to completely change course by putting my health first. I took control of my physical and mental well-being by making conscious choices: from healthy eating and regular exercise to adequate sleep and stress management. I surrounded myself with people who have a positive influence on me, in addition to my team of health experts. I set goals for myself and developed a personal health and business plan that perfectly fit my unique needs and lifestyle. All of this formed the basis for my new venture, 'Radical Health Co.', because you become an expert in what you have had to learn yourself.