The power of hope: Virginia Surgical Specialists helps ease patients’ cancer journey
Good medicine is more than just the most powerful drug or the latest technologic advances. Often, it’s the people who provide these treatments that make all the difference.
That’s something Hope Jenkins knows firsthand. In early 2021, Hope learned she had cancer. She had gone to the emergency room (ER) with pain in her upper right chest that was diagnosed as a pulmonary embolism, a blockage in an artery of the lung caused by a clot.
The ER doctor told Hope that embolisms can sometimes be related to cancer. He recommended that she have additional imaging tests that identified a four-centimeter mass in her pancreas. When a biopsy later confirmed it was cancerous, the news came as a shock.
“It’s very, very scary,” Hope says, her voice cracking with emotion as she recalls getting her pancreatic cancer diagnosis. “You think you’re going to die.”
The right doctors make a difference
Hope immediately consulted a surgeon and oncologist, who were located about 90 minutes from her home. They recommended chemotherapy prior to surgery, in hopes of making removal of her tumor easier.
She started chemo close to home. But when months went by and her tumor wasn’t responding as expected, the oncologist providing her chemotherapy suggested she get a second opinion from Virginia Surgical Specialists.
Located in Reston, Va., Virginia Surgical Specialists is a partnership of Timothy R. Shaver, MD, and George Younan, MD, surgeons who specialize in cancerous and noncancerous diseases of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and bile duct, commonly known as the hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) system. Dr. Shaver and Dr. Younan, are highly regarded HPB specialists in the Northern Virginia region.
Eager to get more personalized attention, Hope agreed to see Dr. Younan. It was a decision that changed everything for her.
Responsive care that puts patients first
Within 48 hours of opting for a second opinion, Hope heard from Virginia Surgical Specialists. Office staff made an appointment for her to meet with Dr. Younan the very next day.
“It was really impressive that he was able to see me so quickly,” she says.
From the start of that first meeting with Dr. Younan, she knew she had made a good choice.
“Dr. Younan has such a great bedside manner,” she says. “You could just tell that he gives his patients personalized care. I knew at that moment that I was going to be in good hands with him and Dr. Shaver.”
Dr. Younan reviewed Hope’s case and talked in detail about what her surgery would involve. He took the time to answer her questions and did all he could to make her feel comfortable.
“With Dr. Younan, you don’t feel like just a number,” Hope says. “He listens to you, and you can tell he genuinely cares. He never makes you feel rushed.”
Just as important, he made it clear that his team would handle all the details of her care, never leaving her wondering what needed to happen next.
“He told me all I would have to do was answer my phone and go to my appointments,” she recalls. “His staff and nurses were great.”
Confidence looking ahead
Within days of her meeting with Dr. Younan, Hope underwent the Whipple procedure. This surgery involved removing the head of her pancreas, her gallbladder, and portions of her intestine, bile duct, and stomach. Dr. Younan performed the operation, with Dr. Shaver assisting, meaning Hope had two highly experienced pancreatic surgeons directing her care. After surgery, no visible cancer remained.
Although Hope will have additional treatment in the weeks ahead and is still anxious about her diagnosis, she takes comfort in the words Dr. Younan shared with her.
“He said he wouldn’t have taken on my case if he didn’t feel confident he could make a difference,” she recalls.
Hope feels he already has.
Learn more about services offered at Virginia Surgical Specialists by visiting their website or calling (571) 554-8950.
