Sander Geurts, professor of Neurorehabilitation at Radboudumc, received a royal honor on Friday, 09 October. During his farewell ceremony, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau by Mark Slinkman, Mayor of Berg en Dal.
Sander Geurts delivered his farewell lecture in the auditorium of Radboud University, following a conference organized by the Gait Expertise Center (LEC) at Sint Maartenskliniek. The day focused on neurological gait disorders and their treatment. The LEC is a collaboration between Radboudumc and Sint Maartenskliniek.
A key role in rehabilitation care
Sander Geurts has been a professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at Radboudumc since 2005, making extensive contributions to all three core academic responsibilities: patient care, education, and research. As head of department until 2024, he played a central role in establishing Radboudumc's multidisciplinary Department of Rehabilitation.
The current department was formed by merging the former Department of Rehabilitation Medicine with the allied health disciplines of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy.
Under his leadership, the department became an important part of patient care at Radboudumc, with a particular focus on neurorehabilitation (movement disorders, Parkinson's disease, and neuromuscular diseases) and trauma-related care for patients of all ages. He strengthened the position of rehabilitation medicine and expanded its role in various care programs.
Research and education
His research focuses specifically on mobility problems associated with neurological conditions and the treatment of spasticity. He established an internationally recognized research program and team in this field, contributing to a better understanding of diseases and their consequences, as well as innovations in patient care. He also supported other research programs within the department.
His academic achievements include more than 300 scientific publications, book chapters, hundreds of presentations in the Netherlands and abroad, and the successful supervision of 48 PhD candidates.
Education and training have also been central to his career. He teaches medical and biomedical sciences students and allied health professionals, and served for many years as a trainer in the medical specialty training program for rehabilitation physicians. He promoted an approach focused not primarily on curing disease, but on helping patients manage disabilities, improve everyday functioning, and participate in society.
This perspective is reflected throughout his work. He frequently involves people with lived experience in education and research to help communicate his message. He also voluntarily shares his knowledge with patients, including through Spierziekten Nederland, the Dutch neuromuscular disease association, and at meetings, symposia, and conferences.
Leadership beyond his department
Throughout his academic career, Sander Geurts has demonstrated an ability to look beyond his own field and consider the broader interests of healthcare and the organization. At Radboudumc, he chaired the Medical Staff Council, which monitors, identifies, and reports on patient safety and quality of care.
He held this position in 2020, a year dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this challenging period, his leadership helped strengthen decision-making and solidarity among healthcare professionals, significantly influencing the organization of care.
Collaboration
Collaboration has been a defining feature of his work, both with other departments at Radboudumc and with partners regionally, nationally, and internationally. Examples include multidisciplinary specialist care programs for movement disorders and neuromuscular diseases, as well as research projects with colleagues in fundamental research at the Donders Institute and allied health professionals.
In 2018, he founded the Gait Expertise Center, a collaboration between the rehabilitation departments of Radboudumc and Sint Maartenskliniek. He also coordinated national research consortia and held prominent roles in various scientific organizations.
His contributions have also been recognized by the Netherlands Society of Rehabilitation Medicine (VRA). In 2023, the association awarded him its annual Rehabilitation Award for innovative patient care for the project Here's my data: Online monitoring of spasticity. He also received the VRA's Silver Bar in recognition of his contributions to rehabilitation medicine.
The person behind the condition
Sander Geurts has made a substantial contribution to rehabilitation medicine, both nationally and at Radboudumc and in the wider Nijmegen region. He strengthened the position of the specialty within the university medical center and advanced its scientific development internationally. Throughout his career, he has consistently emphasized the importance of seeing the person behind the condition and understanding their individual care needs.
The Radboudumc Executive Board and staff warmly congratulate Sander Geurts on this special royal honor.
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