Vim & Vigor - Summer 2013 - Phelps County Regional Medical Center - (Page 3)

A CAll to Serve PCRMC radiation oncologist Mary Graham, MD, is committed to her patients and her community By Somer overShon W hen deciding on a profession, Mary Graham, MD, found oncology appealing on multiple levels: the challenge, the call for innovation and research, and the opportunity to bring forth new and improved ideas. “I found oncology was an ideal fit for me all along the way,” Dr. Graham says, “and I chose radiation oncology because it was the perfect blend of technology and patient care, a yin and a yang.” Dr. Graham has served as medical director of radia tion oncology at Phelps County Regional Medical Center (PCRMC) for 14 years. She is part of PCRMC’s multi disciplinary cancer care team and is in charge of adminis tering therapeutic radiation therapy to patients. Significant changeS Dr. Graham says several areas of oncology have changed over the years. Some of the most prevalent include improvements in survival and life expectancy, the reduc tion of toxicity associated with oncology treatments and the external factors influencing the way medical provid ers are practicing medicine today. Survival rates have increased due to early detection, screenings and improved therapeutics. “The expectation of cancer patients has changed over the years,” Dr. Graham says. “Classically, patients are frightened of having a life threatening illness, but more and more patients come into treatment expecting to be cured, and they are.” Dr. Graham says there is a whole new set of cancer survivors. With survivorship comes additional concerns, such as second malignancies and therapy for previous cancer experiences. Mary Graham, MD Dr. Graham and her colleagues spend a lot of time discussing the toxicity of therapy for oncology patients. “Traditionally, another common fear for cancer patients is the side effects and toxicity of taking cancer treat ments,” Dr. Graham says. “We have been able to reduce toxicity, not completely, but it is certainly more toler able than it used to be.” Dr. Graham and her colleagues discuss the effects of toxicity not only for initial ther apy, but late therapy as well. “We discuss whether or not a patient needs to undergo radiation treatment or not,” she says, “and we are not just talking about at the time of treatment; we are also planning for their life expectancy.” PhySician and Patient collaboration The way physicians are viewed by their patients has changed over the years, Dr. Graham says. A physician practicing 30 or 40 years ago would be considered the expert and would not be questioned by a patient. “That is certainly not the case today,” Dr. Graham says. “Today, there is a collaborative relationship between physicians and their patients. I feel I am there to educate, guide, make recommendations and give support so my patients feel comfortable making their own health decisions; they decide what is best for them.” Dr. Graham says her patients teach her new things every day, and the rewards of her profession flow freely. “In a cosmic or spiritual sense, I see the hand of God in my patients, and the rewards come in so many different ways that you may not expect them,” she says. “The most Summ er 2013 3

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2013 - Phelps County Regional Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2013 - Phelps County Regional Medical Center
Contents
Opening Thoughts
A Call to Serve
Get Back in the Game
Saving Brain
The Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist
Join the Movement
Stroke Stories
5 Steps to Better Bone Health
Gut Instinct
Morgan Freeman
Prostate Playbook
The Main Ingredient
Looking Ahead
Virtual Health
Manage Your Diabetes and Feel Better
Extraordinary Nurses
Foundation
Auxiliary

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2013 - Phelps County Regional Medical Center