Atlanta, GA, June 25, 2010 – By Laura Raines, AJC
Job: Radiation oncology nurse, Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, Conyers office.
What I do: “I interview all patients before the doctor sees them, gathering medical information. That way, I get to know my patients personally from the beginning and, when they develop side effects from treatment after two or three weeks, I can answer their questions.”
What got me into this: “Fifteen years ago, I was working as a hospital PRN [as needed], floating to different areas. They asked me to go to Radiology to work with a doctor they said was difficult to work with. We clicked and I’ve been in radiation ever since.
“People say, ‘How can you stand to work with cancer patients all the time?’ But I find it more rewarding than sad. For me, it’s more than treatment; it’s a ministry.”
Best part of the job: “Getting to know my patients and having them trust me to help them through this difficult time in their lives. I see them every day for six to seven weeks, so I get to know them well. Whether they need medical, social or financial assistance, I can refer them to someone that can help.”
Most challenging part of the job: “Seeing the young people come in is the hardest part. I’ve lived quite awhile, and seeing people in their 30s and 40s with cancer is painful for me. I want to make it right for them. When people haven’t done anything to cause it, you just wonder why it happens, and you want to make it as easy on them as possible.”
What people don’t know about my job: “Besides being a nurse for 30 years, I was ordained as a minister five years ago. As an associate minister at Fountain of Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Riverdale, I preach at least once a month and teach Bible study.
“I try not to tell my patients, because I don’t want to push anything on people and some don’t want to hear anything about God. They may be angry and going through a grieving process, or in denial, but if they bring it up, I figure the door is opened and I may be able to help them physically and spiritually. That’s always rewarding.”
What keeps me going: “My patients. I stay busy and some days I’m tired and don’t want to come in, but I know they’re waiting for me. I love to laugh and I love it when I can make them laugh.
“I believe in the Golden Rule — that you treat people like you want to be treated. That means being an advocate for my patients, thinking about them, praying for them and treating them right. It means having the compassion to see what they’re going through and wanting to do something to make it better.”
Preparation needed: “You need to be a registered nurse, and a BSN [Bachelor of Science in nursing] is preferred. Anyone who works in oncology will benefit from becoming certified as an oncology nurse.”
http://www.ajc.com/jobs/why-i-love-my-557628.html
We are proud to announce that Gary B. Stillwagon, M.D., PhD., board-certified radiation oncologist and a Fellow of the American College of Radiology has been voted one of Atlanta’s Top Doctors in Atlanta Magazine’s June 2010 Top Doctors issue.
Since 2003, Dr. Stillwagon has practiced at RCOG’s main campus in Decatur, treating prostate, lung, breast and head and neck cancer patients. Prior to joining Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, he served four years on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and ran a private practice. He is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and in addition to caring for and treating cancer patients, Dr. Stillwagon is president and CEO of Struggling Kids, a non-profit organization he founded to assist orphans and abused and abandoned children and women of Ukraine.
This recognition is not a first for Dr. Stillwagon; in 2001 he was also voted a “Top Doctor in Atlanta” by Atlanta magazine, one of only two radiation oncologists chosen. Dr. Stillwagon earned his bachelor’s degree in physics and his master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta; where he also went on to earn his doctorate in nuclear engineering. After working for a year in medical radiation physics, Dr. Stillwagon found his true passion in medicine. A native of Memphis, TN, he earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee in Memphis, TN and completed his residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he also served as chief resident and president of the House Staff Council.
He has particular interest in prostate cancer, gynecological and head and neck cancers. Additionally, Dr. Stillwagon has specialized training and experience in systemic radiotherapy. Dr. Stillwagon is known by his colleagues both locally and regionally for his personalized compassionate patient care.
Congratulations to Dr. Stillwagon from your dedicated and loyal staff at Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia and the entire Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia family.
Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia (RCOG), a division of Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, has announced the details of their Tuesday Night Lecture Series courses to be presented in July. The courses enable consumers to become better educated about their health and learn more about the latest in radiation therapy options.
All Tuesday Night Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture beginning at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033.
For more information on the Tuesday Night Lecture Series or to RSVP for a specific class, please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320.
“The Side Effects of Prostate Cancer” –James Benton, M.D., explains and clarifies the common side effects associated with prostate cancer.
“Behind the Scenes” – Fred Schnell, M.D., will provide a look behind the scenes of ProstRcision® and the prostate cancer treatment process.
“Q&A on PSA and Gleason Scores” – Gary Stillwagon, M.D., PhD coordinates an open discussion on the importance of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, Gleason scoring and the differences between clinical and pathologic staging.
“Image-Guided Radiation Therapy” – Mark L. Merlin, M.D., presents an in-depth explanation of the image-guided treatment setup used in radiation therapy.
CUMMING, Ga., June 16 /PRNewswire/ — When 76-year old Cumming resident, Charles Smith was diagnosed with lung cancer he thought the worst. Raised in the carnival and a self professed hobo for 21 years, Smith had a less than ordinary life. In addition to his other illnesses, Smith felt limited in his choices for treatment – until Chad Levitt, M.D., Medical Director and Radiation Oncologist with Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia – North Georgia introduced him to Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT).
“Mr. Smith was a perfect candidate for this treatment, and upon discussing his case with his referring physician, Mr. Smith and his family, we agreed this would be the best course of action,” explained Dr. Levitt.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is the administration of a very large dose of radiation to an isolated tumor or tumors within the body, with the goal to completely kill the cancerous tumor cells. The treatment is precise and lasts five days, compared to a three month timeline that radiation therapy treatment would require.
“Typically, SBRT consists of 3 to 5 treatments carried out over the course of 1 to 2 weeks,” Levitt added. ”Mr. Smith was not a surgical candidate due to his other medical problems, thus radiation was one of the only options traditionally more than six weeks of treatment.”
The procedure’s accurate radiation enables a higher dosage of radiation directly to the tumor, improving the destruction of cancer cells. The reduction in radiation to the normal tissue around the tumor also helps reduce a patient’s side effects.
“I was amazed by how well I felt — it was easy and convenient and I really didn’t feel uncomfortable at any time,” explains Smith. “Dr. Levitt explained everything to me in a way I could understand. He took away any fears and anxiety I had.”
Smith’s daughter Shirley agrees, “After we spoke with Dr. Levitt, the nurse and the therapists, we felt everything was going to be fine.”
“They saved my life,” said Smith. “I’ve had 14 surgeries in my life and I really don’t think I could have survived another…or any other treatment for my cancer.”
Dr. Levitt is a board-certified radiation oncologist and Atlanta native, and the Medical Director of the North Georgia facility. He completed his doctorate and residency at Emory University’s School of Medicine in Atlanta, and prior to joining RCOG, Dr. Levitt practiced in Colorado and Florida. Dr. Levitt was the first radiation oncologist in Colorado to develop a seed-based IGRT prostate program and performed more than 45 SBRT procedures while in Colorado.
“Cancer patients are really fighting the biggest battle of their lives, and we are helping to cure them with minimal side effects,” said Levitt. In the last three years, Dr. Levitt has treated over 50 patients using the SBRT technique.
For more information about SBRT treatment, please contact Dr. Chad Levitt at 678-947-0457. For more information on Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, please visit http://rcog.com/.
The diagnosis is shocking, the fight is overwhelming and the battle can be daunting. Dealing with cancer – as a patient, caregiver, family member or friend – will include dealing with a variety of emotions and feelings.
Yet new research shows that scientifically based techniques can help patients, not only cope, but achieve optimal immunity. Over the last decade, we have learned that shocking risk factors – greater than smoking, diet, or cholesterol – can make the difference between robust health and life-threatening disease. Even your genetic inheritance isn’t as fixed as you might have imagined!
“If you already enjoy great health, these skills and techniques can help you keep it; but if facing illness, you will find ground-breaking discoveries from leading experts, synthesized so you can harness all the available technologies quickly and easily” explains Brenda Stockdale, behavioral medicine practitioner at Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia-North Georgia in Cumming. “The result is a compendium of essential information for a lifelong program of how to stay strong and healthy. Whether facing a cancer diagnosis or recovering from treatment, recent discoveries in mind-body medicine can help you meet that challenge. While there is no one-answer fits all there are techniques that fit most.”
Al Siebert, PhD and other researchers have identified three immune enhancing traits, dubbed the 3 Cs for:
For example, finding new ways to feel in “control” of your life, exhibit “commitment” to yourself, and reframe the crisis as a “challenge” to be met has a potent effect on immunity. To read how one 9-year old boy, in a seemingly hopeless situation met all 3 Cs click here.
Cultivating the 3 Cs leads to the gold standard of survivor research: resilience. Resilience is linked to an increased ability to find meaning in suffering and thrive in the face of adversity. To see how resilient – flexible, resistant, strong, buoyant – you are take the test provided by clicking here.
Brenda Stockdale is the author of the book You Can Beat the Odds, a guide that condenses hundreds of studies, letting you focus on what really works without complicating your life. For more than a decade, working with feedback from hundreds of patients, Stockdale has further developed this successful research-based program as the ideal companion for any treatment options patients choose. Her 6-week program in optimal immunity is offered exclusively at Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia in Georgia.
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