When Nout (rhymes with “out”) van Barneveld, 26, of Amsterdam, got his biopsy results and found out he had osteosarcoma, his first thoughts were for his loved ones.
“I could handle [the news]. I felt strong,” he says. “For me, it is more difficult to see family and friends dealing with it.”
To cope, Nout has chosen to remain positive throughout his osteosarcoma patient journey, even when things get particularly tough, which they have — more than once.
“I think having a good mindset, it makes you stronger,” he says. “My biggest motivation for sharing my situation is to let people see how important it is to be positive and believe in yourself. I believe in myself; I believe in my body; and I think I can recover and survive this.”