Taken independently, the words
cancer
and
surgery
are
troublesome enough on their own. When combined, however, they create an
entirely new level of concern, not to mention a powerful sense of urgency.
Melina Pickering knows that feeling firsthand. A young
woman in her early 40s, her life changed dramatically when her gynecologist
discovered a lump in her breast. “She referred me to a breast specialist,”
Melina shares, “and it made me feel much more comfortable.”
LeRoy and Danita Creswell, cancer survivors who also
happen to be husband and wife, found themselves facing that same situation,
twice.
In Danita’s case, breast cancer was, unfortunately,
something she’d been expecting for quite some time. After being referred to a
specialist more than two decades ago for severe fibrocystic breast disease,
Danita says she and her doctor diligently monitored her breast health for 16
years. “For me, it wasn’t a matter of
if
I was going to get breast cancer, but more like
when
.”
And when that time came, at the age of 50, she knew with
complete certainty that she was working with the right physician. “There was
absolutely no doubt in my mind that, if I was going to go through surgery and
chemo and all of those things, that Dr. Singh was going to be my doctor.”
A few years later, however, with successful cancer
surgeries and treatment behind her, the diagnosis of colon cancer in Danita’s
husband was a huge shock to them both. Facing what he thought was acute
appendicitis, LeRoy, a marine biologist, found himself in the emergency room
following a Saturday morning restoration project. “They did a CAT scan and came
back and said,
Buddy, you have a serious
problem and we need to get a surgeon
,” he recalls.
After hearing that he had a large malignant tumor that had
impacted his ascending colon and was about to burst, LeRoy says he didn’t hesitate
in his choice of a doctor. “I explained that my wife had worked with Dr. Singh
and I said,
That’s who I want to take
care of me
.”
Wonderful care
In addition to positive outcomes, the common denominator
for these three patients is their experience with Roshan L. H. Singh, MD, a
skilled oncological surgeon who has been in private practice for more than 30
years. At Surgical Specialist of the Treasure Coast, where Dr. Singh sees every
patient personally, he combines his vast experience and education –including a
two-year fellowship devoted to extensive training in surgical oncology and
breast surgery – with prompt, compassionate care. “The urgency in early
diagnosis and treatment for cancer is very important,” he stresses. “We don’t
want to waste time.”
The doctor’s philosophy was immediately clear to Melina.
“I went in, just for a consultation, but he took me right in and we went ahead
and did a biopsy because he thought it was something that needed to be
addressed immediately.”
Danita saw the same sort of commitment from Dr. Singh, and
she gives him credit for validating her instincts when she noticed a change in
her breast tissue, despite inconclusive results from both a mammogram and an
MRI. “I think, at that point, many doctors would have patted me on the head and
said,
Look, Danita, just wait another
year and have another test done
. But Dr. Singh listens to his patients.”
While Dr. Singh says he deals with many types of cancers,
including colon, pancreas, liver and thyroid, breast cancer surgery is a specialty
within a specialty. “I trained under some of the best in breast surgery, like
Dr. Hagenson and Dr. Nemoto,” he shares. “And I also trained at the highly
acclaimed and internationally known Roswell Park Memorial Institute.”
After applying himself so diligently as a student, and
continuing to use his knowledge to great effect as a surgeon, these days the
doctor also serves in a teaching capacity as an assistant clinical professor of
surgery for medical students at Florida State University.
The biggest difference
Though his list of professional achievements is long,
Melina, Danita and LeRoy agree that Dr. Singh’s calm, compassionate manner
means the most of all.
“His whole demeanor is that of a caring doctor,” Melina
says. “I felt comfortable with him immediately. He knew I was nervous and he
was patient with me, he explained things to me. He just made me feel so
comfortable.”
“When you’re facing something like this,” Danita adds,
“it’s like a big whirlpool or tornado, and you don’t know which direction to
go, but he explains things in such a way that it helps to alleviate all of
those doubts. With his guidance, you can make decisions.”
Of course, the doctor’s skill and confidence only added to
the experience. “The surgery went well,” Melina explains, “even though the lump
was a little bigger than we had anticipated. He also put my port in, for my infusions, and the nurses who
administered my chemo always said,
Your
port is perfect
. He’s knowledgeable in what he does, and his confidence
gives you confidence in him.”
LeRoy’s belief in Dr. Singh is just as strong. “He doesn’t
sugarcoat things. He has a way of saying things are serious, but in a kind
enough way that you’re not scared.”
Doing well
In terms of recovery, all three patients are feeling
strong and healthy.
Danita, a teacher and language arts department head, says
she’s doing great. “I tell my students,
Heck,
if I can do breast cancer, I can do anything
. It gives you that attitude
that there are bigger mountains to scale.”
According to LeRoy, though his experiences are the most
recent of the group, he’s doing fine. “I just went and saw Dr. Singh a couple
of weeks ago for follow-up and, as usual, I didn’t go in there thinking I was
going to see my physician; I go in there to see my physician-friend.”
Melina is also doing well following her cancer surgery and
treatment. “I’m fully recovered and cancer-free,” she shares, “so I’m doing
wonderful.”
And even though she’s happy not to need Dr. Singh’s
services any longer, Melina found yet another reason to be impressed with him
recently. Though his practice is
in a different county than the one Melina lives in, she says he came over and
spoke at an American Cancer Society luncheon on breast awareness.
“He shares his knowledge with the community,” she says.
“He’s not just a doctor that performs his duties and then goes home. He’s
someone you can trust, a caring doctor.”
LeRoy and Danita agree wholeheartedly. “There was an old
saying, I think for a financial company, that was really popular years ago,”
Danita says. “It was something about counting their successes one person at a
time. That’s like Dr. Singh: He’s
made so many contributions back into the world and into the community because
of all the people he helps. It’s amazing how many lives he’s touched.”
“When it comes to medical issues,” LeRoy adds, “there are
two people that I listen to: my wife and Dr. Singh, and that’s about it.”