Maria Denise Pessoa Silva, Occupational Therapist

Professional Experience

I qualified as an occupational therapist in 2007. I have always had a particular interest in rehabilitation, oncology, and palliative care; and I have always been involved in writing and research. I completed a degree in nursing to further extend my knowledge about conditions I treated as an occupational therapist.

I work at The Royal Marsden Hospital and treat patients of all age groups, including children from 12 months upwards, teenagers and adults undergoing cancer treatment, who experience symptoms of the disease and the incapacitating side effects of treatment. I also provide support and interventions for patients whose curative options are no longer available and who therefore receive palliative care treatment aiming at alleviating symptoms and providing comfort and quality of life.

In 2019 I stepped up to Head of the Occupational Therapy Department and remain active in maintaining my clinical practice as this gives meaning to my profession and satisfaction in my job role.

I have very broad experience as an OT with a wide range of different clinical conditions. I am a confident writer and have excellent clinical and analytical skills, which I have acquired throughout my career.

I am fluent in Portuguese, both written and spoken.

Professional Development

I maintain my professional development and HCPC standards by attending relevant training.

I am an invited member of the Expert Advisory Panel for the charity Ovacome, and, in the past years, have been heavily involved in writing book chapters for international textbooks on the topics of cancer-related fatigue, symptom management in palliative care, and clinical documentation in occupational therapy.