‘
THEY’RE ON MY TEAM,
AND THEY’RE WONDERFUL
’
Centered on You • Centered on You • Centered on You • Cen
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YOU
SJCH 2013 ANNUAL REPORT
11
F
or Tammi Pierce, 2013 was as
unlucky as the number 13 is said
to be.
During that year, Pierce faced a triple-
threat health crisis—a diagnosis of high
blood pressure, the onset of type 2 diabe-
tes and then, in May, the biggest
wham
of
all: breast cancer.
Yet through all the despair, there was
definitely hope for Pierce—specifically,
when she arrived at The AIS Cancer Center
at San Joaquin Community Hospital
(SJCH) following her surgery by Francesca
Hoehne, MD, FACS, the medical director
of The Breast Center at The AIS Cancer
Center.
“This place has become like a family to
me,” Pierce said of the 60,000-square-
foot comprehensive cancer care facility,
which is located directly across the street
from SJCH and opened in the spring of
2013. “Everyone here has been absolutely
great … so caring—they have been the
light for me in all of this.”
And Pierce needed that light because, fol-
lowing her Stage 1 breast cancer diagno-
sis, she was in a dark place.
“I come from a generation that sees can-
cer as something you don’t recover from,
and the same goes for my parents, who
were obviously devastated when I told
them I had cancer,” said the 52-year-old
Bakersfield native and co-owner of Banks
Pest Control. “It really helped my mom to
come to my appointments with me, meet
my doctors, see the beautiful center and
get to know all the people, so she would
know I was getting the best treatment by
the best people.”
As time went on, Pierce and her family
began to embrace the modern-day view-
point about cancer: that it can be treated
and even cured in some cases. Thirty
radiation treatments and an ongoing oral
estrogen-blocking treatment plan later,
Pierce is feeling well and strong—even
hopeful and happy.
Of course, the mental and emotional
stresses that come along with fight-
ing cancer continue for Pierce. To help
with this common issue among cancer
patients, AIS Cancer Center medical social
worker Jenny Lavers works with patients
and their caregivers in a regular sup-
port group that meets the first and third
Wednesday of each month.
“It can be difficult not to still be nervous or
negative at times,” Pierce said. “I need to
get out of my head, but sometimes there’s
just a party of emotions going on in there!
It helps to get that out by talking with
Jenny.”
On the medical side, Pierce emphasized
the expert care she’s received from both
Oscar Streeter, MD, FACRO, board-certified
radiation oncologist and AIS Cancer
Center medical director, and Vikas Ghai,
MD, FACP, board-certified hematologist/
oncologist.
“They’re on my team, and they’re wonder-
ful,” Pierce said of her doctors.
Ghai reported that Pierce has been a
model patient, staying on course with her
recommended treatments and staying
positive at the same time.
“Tammi is an excellent patient,” Ghai said.
“We have worked together, and the result
is the best outcome, a positive outcome.”
Pierce is more than ready to move past the
shadows of the ominous number 13 and
looks forward to a healthy, happy 2014.
The AIS Cancer Center at SJCH offers world-class care
with a compassionate, team approach. Learn more at
or call
661-323-HOPE (4673)
.
➔
