“I was very surprised and greatly appreciated this recognition from the FH Europe Foundation (FHEF),” says Holven. She is a professor at the Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo.
At the award ceremony in Dublin, the professor of nutrition was given the title “The patient’s voice in science”.
“It is a title I value highly,” she says.
Working on neglected issues
Holven says that it means a great deal to her to work on issues that are important and meaningful to patients.
“Many of the topics I work on relating to pregnancy and breastfeeding have long been neglected, and current guidelines are not updated because there is too little knowledge. At the same time, I find it incredibly difficult to secure research funding for these patient-centred projects. It is a major paradox. I know that the findings my collaborators and I have demonstrated will, in a few years’ time, change the guidelines and improve the treatment of women with familial hypercholesterolaemia. And the patient association recognises this too,” says the professor.
Lack of knowledge about follow-up on women during pregnancy and breastfeeding
One message she places great emphasis on is that women with familial hyperlipidaemia go untreated for long periods, not only because they are diagnosed too late, but also because we know too little about how to follow-up on them during life stages such as pregnancy and breastfeeding.
“That is why we need more research in this field. A lack of knowledge should not, today, determine whether women receive the same standard of care throughout their lives as men,” says Holven.