Fox Chase Cancer Center — Attraction in Philadelphia

I wholeheartedly agree with the review that says run, don’t walk away from Fox Chase. I’m dealing with my third cancer diagnosis. I was previously treated at Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida. Everyone at Moffitt, from the people who check you in, the nurses, technicians, and doctors treated me with respect, care and compassion. Everyone went out of their way to try and make me as comfortable as possible during a rather long and difficult treatment. Because of my experience at Moffitt, when I found myself again in need of cancer treatment I wanted to seek care at a “Cancer Center “. I live in Pennsylvania now and found my way to Fox Chase. My experience at Fox Chase could not be any more different than Moffitt. I’ve never been treated so poorly, with such a lack of respect for my dignity, or with so little care and compassion as I’ve been treated at Fox Chase. I had two surgical procedures by urologists. I ended up with injuries that needed additional treatment after both procedures. During the first, my hip was injured resulting in X-rays, anti-inflammatories, and physical therapy. It took six weeks until I could walk without pain. I believe the injury was caused by lack of care when positioning me for the procedure. I can’t be sure because no one will explain to me what happened. The second procedure resulted in a trip to the emergency room at my local hospital. I’ve had extensive surgery on my throat due to head and neck cancer. I have some permanent paralysis and difficulty swallowing. The anesthesiologist failed to follow Fox Chase standard procedure resulting in (thankfully temporarily) aggravating my condition. Not only is the standard care stated in written information provided to me, I was so concerned about the type of anesthesia to be used due to my condition that I addressed it with three doctors, and in writing via my patient portal. The urologist who performed this procedure is one of the least respectful, least caring and compassionate, and least professional doctors I’ve encountered. It’s hard for me to understand whether he’s clueless, completely out of touch, or callous. This doctor also ignored my right to make decisions about my care. When confronted, he tried to gaslight me and claim we never discussed the issue. The anesthesiologist involved blamed the surgeon. The surgeon blamed oncology. I guess this is the “team approach“ Fox Chase seems proud of?? I had an appointment with the head of radiation oncology strictly for a consultation to discuss the options available to me for radiation therapy. Before I ever saw this doctor a resident and medical student came in and tried to perform an exam that I find embarrassing and uncomfortable. I refused. To have these two people try and subject me to this exam, particularly when I’m there only for a consultation was beyond inappropriate. When I finally saw the doctor, I expressed my displeasure with this incident. I also told him I considered it inappropriate and could not see how that exam could possibly be of value after everything I’ve already done. By this point I’ve had elevated PSA tests, an MRI, an ultrasound, and two separate biopsies with thirty-three samples. His response when I dared to question him “last I heard you’re not a doctor “. Nope, I’m not a doctor, but after all I’ve been through I read, research, and question everything. I’ll never let a doctor treat me who displays this level of arrogance. He also seemed more concerned with whatever statistics he could obtain rather than patient care. Fox Chase website claims they are an “international leader in radiation oncology” Having a doctor try and subject a patient to an exam that hasn’t been recommended as a diagnostic tool by the National Institute of Health in more than half a decade doesn’t do much to bolster that claim. In my opinion, and from my experience at Fox Chase I would highly recommend going elsewhere for treatment. There are absolutely other places that will treat you with the respect, care, and compassion that you deserve as a patient struggling with a...

I WAS TREATED WITH UPMOST MOST RESPECT FROM YOUR CANCER CENTER HEATHER AND MISS LASHA WE'RE VERY PROFESSIONAL THOSE WOMEN OVER THERE NEED A RAISE IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CALL ME THAT AREA CODE 302-494-1020 THE REPRESENTATIVES AT YOUR FIRM TREATING ME SO PROFESSIONAL DR JOHN THINKING IT WAS JOSEPH OR JOHN BUT HE WAS A VERY VERY PROFESSIONAL PERSON HE KNEW ALL ABOUT THE CANCER THAT I HAVE IN MY LUNGS FROM EMPHYSEMA AND COPD AND HE REFERRED ME TO A CANCER TREATMENT AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED HIS REFERRAL YET SO NOW THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU MY SURVEY HAVE DR JOHN WITH JOSEPH FORGET HIS LAST NAME BUT MY NAME IS BLAIR HAYMAN HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO REFER ME TO A CANCER RESEARCH CENTER TO HAVE MORE TESTS DONE ON ME ABOUT PUTTING SOME KIND OF INSTRUMENT IN MY LUNG TO HELP ME BREATHE BETTER NOW WHAT I'M DOING NOW IS I HAVE A PEN THAT I INJECT INTO MY LEG OR MY ARM OR MY BELLY EVERY TWO WEEKS I JUST GOT THAT FROM THE EMPHYSEMA PULMONARY DEPARTMENT AT THE WILMINGTON CHRISTIANA WILMINGTON PULMONARY ON WASHINGTON STREET IN WILMINGTON DELAWARE 501 WEST 14TH STREET IN WILMINGTON AT THE ADULT MEDICINE PULMONARY PLEASE HELP ME THE DOCTOR SAID HE WAS GOING TO GIVE ME A REFERRAL SO I CAN GET MY BREATH BACK I'M STILL SHORT-WINDED AFTER THE MEDICATIONS THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN ME THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN DO ABOUT THIS SITUATION BECAUSE I'M SHORT WINDED EVERY TIME I TALK EVERY TIME I WALK EVERY TIME I LIFT SOMETHING UP EVERY TIME I GO UP A FLIGHT INSTEAD AND WHENEVER I GET EXCITED I GET SHORT WINDED IS THERE ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT YOU CAN RETURN MY MESSAGE TO LET ME KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS LISTENING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT FUNNY AND IT'S NOT A JOKE I NEED HELP PLEASE LISTEN TO MY CRY PRAISING THE LORD IS A BLESSING IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY THANK YOU JESUS AMEN HELP ME PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE IN THE NAME OF JESUS HELP ME PLEASE I'M 68 YEARS OLD I WAS BORN JANUARY 7TH 1957 I SMOKE FOR 10 YEARS I HAD A PITY PARTY FOR 10 YEARS HELP ME PLEASE IN THE NAME OF JESUS HELP ME JESUS HELP ME JESUS HELP ME JESUS AMEN PLEASE 🙏 CALL ME PLEASE AREA CODE 302-494-1020 THANK YOU TEMPLE LUNG CANCER TREATMENT CENTER THANK YOU MISS HEATHER AND THANK YOU MS LASHAY FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND DR JOHN SPANK THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU AND I NEED A REFERRAL FROM YOU DR JOHN LET ME DOWN TO JOSEPH DR JOSEPH YES YOU LOOK IN YOUR RECORDS AND YOU'LL FIND MY NAME BLAIR MARTIN HAYMAN 379 MAN LOVE PLACE WILMINGTON DELAWARE 19804 DAYS 2930 IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT DR JOSEPH GETS IN TOUCH WITH ME BLAIR HAYMAN your attention is needed I NEED FOR DR JOHN SPANK JOSEPH SHANK JOSEPH DR JOSEPH SHANK to follow up on my referral THAT HE SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO REFER ME TO ANOTHER DOCTOR FOR A FOLLOW-UP I WENT BACK TO CHRISTIANA CARE WILMINGTON AND THEY HAVE ME GOING THROUGH THERAPY AND THE THERAPY THEY WANT ME TO DO WITH A ROUTINE DIET AND EXERCISE BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A OPENING FOR AT LEAST 6 TO 8 WEEKS I NEED IT NOW THIS IS NOT FUNNY AND THIS IS NOT A JOKE I NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION NOW THEY WOULD WAIT ON ME QUICKER OR SOONER IF I HAD MORE MONEY I HAVE THE INSURANCE THAT I HAVE AND I NEED HELP NOW I WENT OVER TO PELLPORT IN WILMINGTON FOR CHRISTIANA CARE REHAB AND THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE ME FOR 4 TO 8 WEEKS I NEED PHYSICAL THERAPY NOW THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO PUT ME ON A SPECIAL DIET AND PUT ME ON A ROUTINE WHERE I WORK OUT EVERYDAY WALKING ON A TREADMILL OR RIDING A BIKE BUT I NEED IT NOW PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE IN THE NAME OF JESUS HELP ME PLEASE BLAIR HEYMAN AREA CODE 302-494-1020...

Dear Karen,

I just wanted to let you know that we met with Dr. Su yesterday and she interpreted all of the test results and provided an explanation of the diagnosis. We have a CAT scan and follow up with her in August to confirm the biopsy findings.

My husband and I feel so blessed that our heart, instincts and prior experiences led us to Fox Chase. Growing up on Borbeck Ave., Jeanes was "our hospital". I remember holding on to my mother's apron as we ran my baby brother down Barnes St. to the ER because he had croup. Some nurses saw us coming and one opened the door as another grabbed the baby. I remember my grandmother being on the second floor recovering from surgery for adhesions, and she called my mother to tell her she was chilly. My mother gave me a sweater and I took it down, going in the side door by the gift shop and up the stairwell to the 2nd floor and right to the nurses station. I was too young to visit my grandmother, but staff allowed 11-year-old me to warm my grandmother in another way.

Being wrapped in warmth is how I felt yesterday. We were welcomed at the registration desk where the paperwork was completed seamlessly. We were then led to waiting area #2 where the escort checked us in and handled our paperwork at that location. That entire process took 20 minutes.

We then waited in a comfortable area for just a few minutes beyond our scheduled appointment time. When my name was called, a pleasant nurse took us back for vitals, then another, just as pleasant NP, did a brief hands on exam and extensive interview. After another brief wait, Dr. Su entered. She slid her chair adjacent to me and proceeded to explain what was going on with my lungs. She listened to my lungs and heart. She went through the reports sentence by sentence, highlighting important findings with her pen. She asked questions and answered questions. She took her time. She was not distracted. She listened.

We left with the assurance that we have a diagnosis which Dr. Su is comfortable confirming. We understand that nothing about the internal workings of the body is 100%, but that we are as close as one can get to knowing my current pulmony status.

When we checked out, the young man at Desk #2 set up our follow up CAT scan for August 8th and our follow up appointment with Dr. Su on the 9th. As we gratefully made our way to the parking lot, a volunteer noticed our confusion about locating the correct exit door, asked us if he could help us and then guided us to the correct corridor.

All of this to let you know that we are so thankful that we made the decision to seek our 2nd opinion at Fox Chase. We are thankful that Jan connected us to you. We are thankful that you connected us to Dr. Su. We are thankful for your advocacy. We are thankful that you intervened on my behalf to get the biopsy findings. We are thankful that you contacted my pulmonologist's office. We know we are blessed to have the outcome we have. We also know we are blessed to be located near Fox Chase and to have access to excellent, knowledgeable caregivers who exude kindness.

Thank you so much for all you did to make this happen. Have a...