Dr. Anke was born near Utrecht, the Netherlands, and initially developed broad creative and technical interests influenced by her family’s background in healthcare and craftsmanship. Despite early strengths in mathematics and computer science, she chose to pursue medicine at the University of Groningen. During her surgical rotations, her aptitude for surgery became evident, leading her to specialize in a field that, at the time, was still predominantly male. She became the first female surgical resident in the province of Utrecht and completed a thesis on the healing of compression anastomoses while also raising two children.
After her residency, Dr. Anke began her career in a regional hospital, where she found the professional freedom to innovate. She was an early adopter of laparoscopic colorectal surgery in the Netherlands, introducing intracorporeal anastomosis techniques and contributing to the national acceptance of minimally invasive colorectal procedures. Over time, she performed more than 2,000 laparoscopic colorectal operations.
She later advanced to robotic surgery using the Da Vinci system and became a proctor, applying the robot not only for rectal but for all colorectal procedures. This significantly reduced conversion rates and enabled the development of new techniques, including the intracorporeal Kono-S anastomosis for Crohn’s disease and improved approaches to diverticulitis and acute colonic obstruction. Her work reduced emergency operations, complication rates, and improved postoperative outcomes.
Today, she is recognized as a leader in minimally invasive colorectal surgery in Europe. She is actively involved in education, proctoring, and lecturing, sharing her techniques and promoting the adoption of robotic surgery for abdominal procedures.
Outside of medicine, she enjoys designing and crafting leather bags, singing opera, knitting, and painting.