Breast cancer is a diagnosis that affects the entire
family. Clearly, the individual who is being treated
for cancer requires not only intensive medical care
but emotional and spiritual care as well.
The entire family dynamic is shifted and needs also
to be included in the process of healing. We feel that
when we surgically remove the cancer, it is just the
beginning. We work toward facilitating healing in all
of our patients.
Our practice prides itself on following our patients
through all phases of their treatment and recovery.
We are proud to be the founders of The
Breast Cancer Healing Ministry at St. Mary
Medical Center. It is a program that was created to
continue the process that begins in our office. The
services that are offered cover a wide variety of therapies
and interventions that are not typically covered by
conventional insurance.
We are continually working toward decreasing the time
between finding a palpable mass or having an abnormal
mammogram and having a definitive diagnosis. Our office
attempts to see patients as soon as possible when a
suspicious mass or lesion is identified. We rely on
our referring physicians to assist us in this by calling
us directly when a patient needs to be evaluated on
a more urgent basis.
Because we value
the time we spend to connect with our patients, the
number of patients
that we can evaluate
in a given day is limited. We pride ourselves on remaining
on the cutting edge of breast care by offering the
latest technological advancements in breast cancer
care. By adopting minimally invasive techniques as
the standard of care, we have been able to greatly
decrease the time from when you are seen in the office
to your biopsy. Once we know what we are dealing
with in terms of the pathologic diagnosis, we can move
forward towards definitive treatment.
We feel privileged to participate in the treatment
of so many women and men in our community. We are committed
to providing state of the art breast cancer care and
feel that this opens a door to facilitate healing in
each and every person with whom we come in contact.
Many of my patients
have asked me why I am so drawn to dragonflies. During
a time
of tremendous change
in my life, I saw dragonflies everywhere. Animal Totem
legend indicates that the individual who sees the dragonfly
is typically emotional and passionate. The presence
of the dragonfly indicates a two-year period of change.
In my case it signified a culmination of colorful transformations
in my professional career. Dragonflies are the most
adaptable of insects and can fly with one pair of their
wings if they need to. This allows them to survive
in a sometimes harsh environment.
Dragonflies remind
us that we are light beings and can reflect the light
in powerful
ways if we chose
to do so. “Let there be light” is the divine
message of the dragonfly, prompting us to use our creative
imaginations as a force within our lives. Life is never
quite what it appears, but it is filled with light
and love if we choose. The dragonfly can help to see
through the illusions in our lives and allow our own
light to shine through. We can chose to focus on the
positive outcomes of any experience or remain in the
darkness. Like the dragonfly, I choose the light and,
therefore, the dragonfly has taught me a very valuable
lesson of life.
Breast cancer is a diagnosis that affects the entire
family. Clearly, the individual who is being treated
for cancer requires not only intensive medical care
but emotional and spiritual care as well.
