Providing health, healing and hope at CMC's Breast Care Center
Q. How do you approach treating the cancer versus treating the patient?
A. In being a surgeon, you have to have technical excellence, both using the latest technology precisely and the artistic aspect of knowing how to handle tissue. But then there’s the whole other part of taking care of breast cancer patients and that’s the emotional part, having hope. Being compassionate is about understanding what somebody needs and figuring out what they’re not voicing so those needs can be addressed. Most people need hope more than anything else.
Q. How do you give people hope when they’re getting what could be the worst news of their lives?
A. I always find some reason to have hope. The most challenging time for people is between knowing they have an abnormality until knowing whether or not it’s going to be a problem. It’s important for me that they get those answers as quickly as possible because once we have a diagnosis we can make a plan. Having a plan is the first step to having hope.
More information: www.catholicmedicalcenter.org
This Q&A is part of New Hampshire Magazine's Pink Power: Breast Health Awareness special advertising section that was featured in the October 2016 issue.
