06 April 2013

Today I had the privilege of attending a memorial service for a woman that I met only once. I initially got to know her on Twitter. I attended the memorial service with 2 women who I also met on Twitter.

Yes, Twitter.

If you had asked me about Twitter 2 years ago, I would have said that it was about celebrities talking about what they had for lunch. I wasn’t interested, and I certainly didn’t have the time. For various reasons I set up an account, started listening, and then started tweeting and interacting. And in doing so I stumbled upon the most remarkable community. Not just a group, and so much more than a chat – a real community. I got to know some incredible people. Online.  A common criticism of online interactions is that they are superficial and not “real”.  My experience has been the complete opposite. We’re drawn to each other due to common experiences and common goals. Those relationships and bonds are solid, made even more so when we have the opportunity to meet “in real life”. We are there for each other, during good times and bad, for better or worse. We are #FearlessFriends.

Donna Peach passed away due to metastatic breast cancer on March 26, 2013.  I initially got to know Donna her through her blog. She was a gifted writer, a dancer and so much more.  One thing that was clear from her writing was that she loved life and everything about it. When we met approximately 2 months ago, even though she was suffering due to the progression of her disease, we were all struck by her beautiful smile and her incredible spirit. She touched us all – I made the comment after we met that it seemed like Donna had done a little bit of everything – and all of it with a huge smile on her face. Lori wrote about the meetup, capturing Donna’s spirit.  I would never have met Lori if it were not for twitter, and we live less than 10 miles apart. Carmen also accompanied us to the service today – another lovely addition to my life. Jody, Alicia, and too many more to mention. All because of twitter. They have touched me personally and professionally.  I cannot imagine my life without these women.

The tears we cried today at Donna’s service were real. The hugs we shared were real. The sentiments expressed today by those that knew her well were the same that Lori, Carmen and I expressed. Don’t let anyone tell you that online relationships are not real. Some of them are. I only knew Donna for a short time, but I am grateful for the interaction that we had. I will treasure the memories and will remember her spirit.

Rest in peace, Donna Peach.

11 May 2013

In May 2013, I was invited to give a talk with my colleague Dr. Carol Connor at the annual meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons.  Our topic was “Endocrine Therapy for Breast Cancer”, and we discussed the literature supporting the use of tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer, as well as adverse effects and treatment of adverse effects. We were then invited to submit a manuscript which was published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology. The following is a summary of our talk and manuscript. I would like to express my appreciation to the #BCSM Community, who responded to my request for information about adverse effects  – it allowed me to discuss not only the literature, but also real patient experiences.

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8 November 2012

I had the honor to collaborate on this ASCO Connection post with Dr. Don S. Dizon, a medical oncologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital specializing in women’s cancers.  This post grew out of twitter and email conversations  – we were discussing cancer prevention, risk reduction, and cure – and how our conversations and thoughts have changed due in part from our interactions with patients in the  BCSM Community and other social media sites.

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26 September 2012

A few weeks ago, I was approached by a contact on Twitter who asked me to participate in an online “blog carnival.” The theme was motivation and how it plays into our roles as patients, providers and caregivers. The deadline for submission (which I just looked at) was September 17th.

I find non-medical writing very difficult – I need a large chunk of free time combined with a strong dose of inspiration to put together a more creative post. Rarely do free time and inspiration co-exist in my world.

However, the topic of motivation has been rolling around in my head for a few weeks now. And while I missed the deadline for the contest, I’m really not one for competitive writing anyway. So what motivates me?

Being a physician is hard. I’m not complaining – this is my chosen profession – although I think it actually chose me. The responsibility of taking care of patients and performing surgery is physically and mentally draining, the hours are incredibly long, and my life is never my own. Many of my patients have been diagnosed with breast cancer – the anxiety and stress in the consultation room is often palpable. Despite our advances, and modern medicine’s best efforts, patients do not always survive. I take many patient stories home with me each and every night.

One of the reasons that I decided to specialize in breast surgery was that I recognized early in my career that I actually liked talking to my patients – not the stereotypical general surgeon. I enjoyed getting to know them and their families, and to have a more personal type of professional relationship.

So despite many personal and professional challenges, and the frustration that our science is not exactly where it needs to be, I continue to love what I do and could not imagine another career. There are ways that I can help that do not involve the operating room or a scalpel. What motivates me? It’s simple really – I can’t always cure, but I can always care.