Patients with cancer who are either undergoing chemotherapy/systemic therapy or who recently completed their surgical or radiation treatment have a higher risk of contracting viruses, including COVID-19.

At Goshen Center for Cancer Care, we believe that every patient deserves the best care available to ensure they live their fullest life during and after treatment. Dr. Ashley Hardy, surgical oncologist, puts that belief into action every day.

Long-time experts can sometimes be resistant to change; this isn’t the case for Dr. James Wheeler. For 30 years, Dr. Wheeler has been a practicing radiation oncologist, with 13 of those years spent at Goshen Center for Cancer Care. In that time, Dr. Wheeler has not only seen the field of radiation oncology modernize, he’s helped advance Goshen Center for Cancer Care into one of the top cancer centers for radiation oncology in the country.

What makes Goshen Center for Cancer Care physicians different? They go above and beyond for their patients. Take Director of Surgical Oncology Urs von Holzen, MD, MBA, FACS. Not only is Dr. von Holzen a board certified and fellowship trained surgical and thoracic oncologist, he brings with him a tireless commitment to actively find solutions for the cancers he fights on a daily basis.

In search of hope, a patient who was told his lung cancer was untreatable visited Dr. Houman Vaghefi, Director of Radiation Oncology at Goshen Center for Cancer Care, for a second opinion.

For Rebecca Lovejoy, naturopathic doctor at Goshen Center for Cancer Care, the recipe for a good day consists of getting a good night’s sleep, eating well, effectively managing stress, staying physically active, enjoying nature and spending quality time with her family. An even better day, however, is when she can help her patients do the same.

For those on the cancer journey, the holiday season may also be a time of simply not having the energy or funds to keep up with expectations from past years.

Why does highly specialized care matter, if everyone’s treating the same disease? Because just like every person is different, every cancer is just a little bit different, too. That’s why, at Goshen Center for Cancer Care, we’ve embraced a multidisciplinary approach in which physicians, nurses, dieticians, mind-body counselors and naturopathic providers all work together to develop expertly tailored care plans for each patient, and each individual cancer diagnosis.

Holidays are typically viewed as a festive and joyful time. Many people enjoy getting together with family and friends, giving and receiving gifts and celebrating traditions. However, if you or a loved one has been affected by cancer, this holiday season may need to be spent a little differently. It might be important to slow down, simplify and find what works best and is most comfortable for you.  

As we race toward the biggest holiday of the year, most of us are knee deep in preparations. While there can be times of joy, there can also be times of stress, for anyone, but especially for those trying to tackle a serious medical concern, such as cancer. If someone in your life has cancer, consider gifts designed to make that experience easier for them.