Patient Profile: Finding the Gratitude
Maureen Stewart was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer with metastases in her lymph nodes at age 65 in 2021. “Once they tell you you have breast cancer, you don’t hear anything else,” she says. She was treated with the standard protocol of chemotherapy to shrink her tumors, surgery, then radiation. “It was not pleasant,” recalls Maureen, “but I did my best to get through it.”
Maureen has a dear friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer twice, so generally knew what she could expect during treatment. Her General Practitioner (GP) recommended Dr. Srilata Gundala of Hope & Healing Cancer Services in Hinsdale, Illinois. Maureen opted not to interview other oncologists after meeting with Dr. Gundala. Her GP’s recommendation coupled with the good feeling she came away with was enough for her to move forward.
The chemotherapy she had was accompanied by a sampling of common side effects including hair loss, nausea, loose stool, fatigue, and weakness, but Maureen kept a very pragmatic attitude about her treatment. “It’s what I had to do to get through the tunnel,” she says. “You have to do it to go on.”
The support of family and friends is what Maureen credits for keeping her going. Her husband of over 40 years and her three daughters coupled with an outpouring of kindness from friends and neighbors gave Maureen what she needed during her three stages of treatment. “This cancer humbled me. You don’t realize the people you have in your life until something like this happens. We had something on our doorstep every day – cards, gifts, flowers. It was the encouragement I needed to get through,” says Maureen.
Another thing that Maureen credits with helping her during her months of cancer treatment was the care and support from the staff at Hope & Healing Cancer Services. “You become friends,” she recalls, “They care about you.” Maureen thinks the size of Hope & Healing has a lot to do with the quality of care available there. “When you get to a certain size, it becomes a business.”
Dr. Gundala understands this more than most. Forming the independent practice of Hope & Healing Cancer Services was her way of reconnecting with patients and returning to delivering more personal care after leaving a larger hospital-based healthcare system, “Treating patients within a larger system became an obstacle to providing the type of care I wanted to provide my patients – the type of care every cancer patient deserves.”
Maureen felt the difference immediately. “Another friend never had the same nurse twice during her cancer treatment. A different place I went for something related to my cancer only cared about my insurance. It was so cold and business-like. You can’t be strictly business when health and life are involved. I would recommend Dr. Gundala to anybody. She is an angel.”
Maureen is through with her treatment now and feels very grateful for the experience. “I won the cancer lotto! I succeeded and I don’t think about it much anymore. Cancer is an experience, an opportunity to realize how precious your life is. It gives me a new perspective and reminds me to enjoy the time we have together. I have nothing but time now, thanks to Dr. Gundala. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Written By; Sheila Quirke, MSW
Reviewed By: Srilata AGundala, MD
