My Docs

So, tonight I was going to send out a blog post about my recent trip to Iowa for the Iowa Caucus, but unfortunately, I received news today that trumps that post. Therefore, this post will be about losing my wonderful oncologists and what a huge blow that is to cancer patients.

Dr. Holbrook Kohrt Passed Away This Morning

 

Late this afternoon, I received the devastating news that my wonderful Dr. Kohrt, who ran my PDL-1 trial for 3 years, passed away while receiving treatment in Europe for his hemophilia. I'm pretty sure that I've talked about Dr. Kohrt before. He was not only an outstanding patient based doctor and researcher, but he was a true friend to me. When I was feeling low, he would write me the most amazing emails to get my spirits up. He reminded me on a regular basis that I was stronger than cancer and that he expected to see me live for many years to come. I could always count on him to say the right thing and leave me laughing or relaxed or whatever I needed at that moment. I am deeply deeply saddened right now.

The following information was sent out internally at Stanford today:

Holbrook had been battling hemophilia all of his life, and in recent years had become resistant to standard Factor VIII therapy. He had been on investigational therapy for his disease, but suffered an intracranial hemorrhage while vacationing in the Caribbean, and was transferred to Miami, where he died.

Holbrook was, by everyone's estimation, one of the most brilliant translational researchers of his generation, and was poised to make great contributions to the conquest of cancer. His novel cancer immunotherapy preclinical work led directly to the development of clinical trials that may transform the care of cancer patients. His loss is a personal one for those of us who knew him, but also a real loss for cancer patients everywhere.

I am so devastated right now. I lost not only a great doctor but a dear friend. RIP, my amazing Dr. Holbrook Kohrt.

 

Dr. Semrad Is Leaving

And I'm losing another one - but fortunately, he'll still be around so that I can find him! As you know, I have been working with UC Davis Cancer Center to get my chemo doses every 2 weeks so that I am not forced to go down to Stanford for treatment every other week. That would have been a tremendous inconvenience to get drugs that I could get 20 minutes away from my home. Dr. Fisher still oversees my care, but Dr. Tom Semrad is my day to day contact. I adore him. When I first saw him at the cancer center he told me that he had seen me speak and was fascinated by my cancer – how it responds to treatment etc. He wishes he knew why it acts so differently than other colorectal cancers.

When I saw him a couple of weeks ago, he sat down and told me that he needed to talk to me about something – and then he sprung it on me: he’s moving to Tahoe to build a big cancer center there. It’s a tremendous opportunity to run a cancer center in a beautiful location. It will also allow him and his wife (who is also a doctor) a chance to slow down a little bit and enjoy their lives more. Perhaps after seeing so many cancer patients question how they spent their lives, it has made him step back and assess his. The biggest problem in my mind (besides the fact that he will no longer be MY doctor!) is that he will no longer be associated with a research center, so his research will be minimal. That is a huge loss. I hate to see a great mind like that step away from research.

I respect his priorities. I respect his desire to achieve a better work-life balance while he’s young. I’m happy for him. Not so happy for me. I respect his need to move and will miss him so very much.