Sounding Off:

When it comes to breast cancer, losing a breast or two and facing deep psychological challenges while going through aggressive treatments that impact your life emotionally, physically and sexually, one goes through a tough, long-lasting journey that will change your life and will drive you to learn about this disease.

It can be overcome the first time, there are cases of recurrence and cases where a new cancer arises some time after treatment. While breast cancer treatment and procedures might seem the same, every breast cancer case is unique and every person reacts to treatment differently. Sometimes there’s an answer or a remedy to difficulties encountered through the process. Sometimes there’s support alone.

What exactly would one of the best cancer care centers in the world need to meet the needs of breast cancer patients and other cancer patients seeking guidance and support? A wish list from a patients’ point of view would include: someone knowledgeable who cares, understands and connects at a personal level and knows how to approach patients and deliver required information to woman in pain in a gentle and professional way, a breast cancer survivor herself, someone with deep personal and clinical knowledge on the subject.

At Hoag Cancer Center we already have that kind of service and support through Sandra Finestone, coordinator of breast and prostate cancer patient services.

Sandy’s interest in helping others has taken her to Jordan, where she was Sunday, with expenses paid by the Susan G. Komen Foundation, to take part in their advisory board.

Sandy was asked to help set the concept of breast support groups at King Hussein Cancer Foundation, one of Princess Diana of Jordan’s personal interests. Sandy will participate at the Department of Defense 2009 Breast Cancer Research Program meeting, a forum for scientists, clinicians, breast cancer survivors and advocates, policy makers, and the public to discuss the latest findings in breast cancer research and future directions to eradicate this disease.

Sandy is an advocate reviewer for the Department of Defense from a patient’s perspective, meaning she is asked for her opinion on whether grants should be founded or not.

Sandy was given recent notice to leave her position as of Monday, derived from a change in structure where someone else will take over.

We benefit from Sandy’s more than 20 years of experience and devotion to fighting and dealing with cancer and are convinced this would be a great loss to us and to Hoag Hospital.

Therefore we urge Richard Afable, Jack L. Cox, Stephen Jones, Robert W. Evans, John L. Benner and all members of the advisory board at Hoag Hospital to review this decision and analyze if a better service and value will be offered to breast cancer and prostate cancer patients and higher recognition will be gained for Hoag as a top quality care provider through the people meant to replace Sandy.

We hope to hear back from Hoag regarding this matter and come back to this community media to share their answer.

MARIBEL DE ORDUÑA is a patient at Hoag.