Fighters Stick Together

At 54, Peggy’s worst medical encounter was stitches on her chin. But then came a persistent cough that would last for minutes at a time. At first, Peggy’s doctor believed she had pneumonia, but after a series of medications and nebulizer treatments, Peggy cough persisted. At one point, she coughed so severely that she broke a rib.

The source revealed

One month later, her doctor ordered a CT scan which revealed Peggy had cancer in her left lung. Shocked by the news, Peggy took the next step and met with Victoria M. Giffi, M.D., a medical oncologist with Meritus Hematology and Oncology Specialists. She instantly felt a connection with her doctor. “I was so thankful I was referred to her,” says Peggy.

After Dr. Giffi ordered more tests, the tests revealed that Peggy had cancer in both of her lungs and lymph nodes. “She explained the type of cancer, the stage and its size,” says Peggy. “Dr. Giffi also described it as a cancer more resistant to treatment.”

A spitfire on her team

After Peggy’s first meeting with Dr. Giffi, she told her husband she wanted Dr. Giffi on her team. “Dr. Giffi is a spitfire,” says Peggy. “She told us we were going to attack this.” Like many cancer patients, Peggy and her husband wanted a second opinion. They met with an oncologist at an academic hospital only to find that the doctor knew Dr. Giffi. Today, both doctors work together, with Dr. Giffi taking the lead to create the best treatment plan for Peggy.

Throughout the course of her treatment, Peggy asked her doctor many questions. “Dr. Giffi isn’t fazed by my questions and, in fact, encourages them,” says Peggy. “She explains the reasoning behind her approach and breaks things down to a level where I can understand.”

Birds of the feather

With intervals of chemotherapy treatments, Dr. Giffi keeps Peggy’s tumor at bay. And Peggy, like her mother who is a breast cancer survivor, is a fighter. “I saw my mother’s strength and I get that from her,” says Peggy. “She set the bar for me.” Fighters like Peggy, her mother and Dr. Giffi tend to stick together.