“So much of this journey is to advocate for yourself. It’s so refreshing to have doctors that are in that fight with you, that you don’t have to fight against.”

5 reasons Kathleen says it’s important to choose your own cancer oncologist.

1. When you meet with the doctor, you’ll know whether they feel like the right match for you.“You have to trust your gut. You need to find the doctor you believe will save your life.”
2. It’s important to find a doctor who will respect and honor your feelings about your diagnosis and proposed treatment plan.“When I went to my New England Cancer Specialists doctor, I knew I had found ‘my’ doctor because she heard me, she listened, she understood where I was coming from. It’s so refreshing to have doctors that are in the fight with you that you don’t have to fight against.”
3. Expertise in your type of cancer is critical, but genuine compassion from your doctor makes a difference. “The culture that they have at NECS is incredible and it is infused into the care they give their patients. You walk into that office and you just feel the passion. You feel the warmth. You feel why people are there—because they care. That is NOT the case at every doctor’s office.”
4. You want a doctor—indeed a full care team—that isn’t just going to treat you, but also root for and support you. “The doctors and staff at NECS are so dedicated to their calling that it’s really humbling and awe-inspiring. I view my team there primarily as my allies that are helping me fight this fight.”
5. You want a doctor that connects with you as a human, not just as a patient to be treated. “At NECS, it feels like it’s whole person care. It’s not just,  ‘Let’s get you in for your infusion’ and off you go.’ It’s asking how the kids are. It’s helping me through the tears when I’m feeling completely depressed and defeated. It’s something that’s truly priceless.” 

Kathleen’s Story

“I had a very vivid dream at the end of July. It was a physical feeling in the dream. And very calmly after, a voice said, ‘You’re going to die on your 41^st birthday. I woke up from that dream convinced that something was wrong, that this was my body telling me something.

“I ended up going to the doctor a couple of weeks later. And she said, ‘They just changed the mammogram age from 45 to 40. We’ll get you in for your first mammogram. And I got diagnosed with breast cancer.

Kathleen and her husband, Noah, having a telehealth meeting with NECS clinical social worker, Edie White.

“I ended up self-referring to Dr. Battelli because I wanted more information that I wasn’t I always think second opinions are helpful. I called NECS and they honored that urgency, which was amazing. You need to find THE doctor that’s going to save your life. It’s really important.

“You know, most doctors, when you tell them that you had a dream that you’re going to die—most of them look at you like you’re crazy. Dr. Battelli was like, ‘That’s great information.’ She didn’t dismiss me and this gut feeling that something was wrong. I knew I had found the doctor because she heard me, she listened, she understood where I was coming from.

“You walk into that office and you just feel the passion. You feel the warmth. You feel why people are there—because they care. That is NOT the case at every doctor’s office. And so, that culture that they have at NECS is incredible and it is infused into the care they give their patients.

“The team at NECS is just incredible. They are the most amazing humans I’ve ever met. They are so dedicated to their calling that it’s really humbling and awe-inspiring. I view my team there, Amanda and Dr. Battelli, primarily as my allies that are trying to help me fight this fight, but they’re also friends.”