Dubin Breast Center Remarks
It’s a privilege to be here today and have the opportunity to share with all of you what I have shared with so many others throughout the past 9 months: That I love the Dubin Breast Center.
By the time I first walked into Dubin on January 11th, I admittedly thought I knew my plan. Three weeks earlier, within moments of my diagnosis, I’d received the names of two top surgeons, and I had already completed my first consult. As I readily advertised to family and friends, I was simply “swinging by” Mount Sinai for a second opinion. After all, I’d really liked the first surgeon, felt comfortable with her, trusted her. My friend was a breast cancer oncologist on her team, so I knew I’d be especially well taken care of. All I thought I needed from Dubin was the peace of mind that another opinion can bring…
Little did I know the force that is Dr. Elisa Port. Within moments of sitting down in Dr. Port’s office – once her team had scrambled to find enough chairs for my entire family – I immediately felt at ease. In the two hours – TWO HOURS – that followed, I’m sure we talked medicine, science, best practices…all the stuff the analytical and intellectual side of me no doubt came prepared to discuss. But what I personally remember most from that first meeting are the “little things” – Dr. Port calling me “sweetie” and “Sal” and touching my hand. I sensed that she genuinely cared about me not only as a patient but also as a person. And as anyone with cancer can attest, that distinction is everything.
Upon leaving Dubin that Monday morning, I felt tremendous relief. Dr. Port was exactly what I needed my surgeon to be: super compassionate and undoubtedly badass! Exactly one month later, in my hospital gown, I truly felt ready. As I told Dr. Port and Dr. Kolker, my plastic surgeon, before we walked into the OR, it is incredibly empowering to be able to both choose one’s surgery – in my case a double mastectomy – and one’s team. I had built a dream team – my dream team – and I walked into surgery with all the confidence in the world.
A month later, with chemo fast approaching, I once again needed to make a choice. Despite doing surgery at Sinai I truly still expected to have chemo with my oncologist friend elsewhere. Until fate intervened twice the day of my oncology consult at Sinai. First, while sobbing – and I truly mean sobbing – with the oncologist, Dr. Port happened to be walking by and came in to say hello. Her smile and hug in that incredibly tough moment made me feel extraordinarily safe. I knew I wouldn’t necessarily see her often during chemo, if at all – and the truth is, we didn’t – but that hardly mattered. Simply knowing she was in the building and there if I needed anything was enough. And, then, second, during a tour of the chemo facility, I immediately fell in love with the camaraderie the nurses share. It was around 6pm, the end of what was undoubtedly a long day, but even at that hour I could feel the nurses’ positive energy, laughing together celebrating one of their birthdays. I left that brief tour smiling through my tears, with a mini cupcake in my hand and a little newfound peace in my heart, intuitively knowing that, again, Mt. Sinai was without question where I was meant to be treated.
Looking back now, I am so grateful that everything clearly worked out the way it was meant to. EVERY SINGLE PERSON on the Dubin team – my Dubin family – was incredible: thoughtful, compassionate, patient, kind, caring. I would not wish breast cancer on anyone, but I do hope that anyone else destined to walk this path is fortunate enough to have as beautiful an experience as I had – and continue to have at Dubin.