A Story of Hope and Renewal

Friday the 13th ordinarily gets a bad rap. But for Maria Terinoni-Mulvey, a breast cancer survivor, it’s a day that signifies hope and renewal. It’s on this same date she began her patient journey at Holy Redeemer, and two years later, completed her last surgery and started on the path toward a cancer-free life.

Maria’s odyssey began In April 2018. The discovery of her breast cancer seemed to happen at warp speed. While at a local hospital for an unrelated procedure, Maria asked her clinicians if they could tack on a mammogram since she was overdue for a breast screening. Suddenly she was being walked across the hall to the cancer center to schedule a biopsy. When the results came in, she was told she had Stage 1 breast cancer.

Wanting a second opinion, she followed the advice of a good friend who recommended Dr. Stacey Krisher at Holy Redeemer’s Comprehensive Breast Care Surgeons. From the get-go, it seemed Maria was predestined to find Holy Redeemer: when she called from her car to schedule an appointment and asked for the address, it turned out that completely by chance, she’d pulled over directly across the street from the building. The amazing affinity and serendipity just kept growing from there.

In fact, Maria felt an instant connection with each doctor she encountered. “I knew as soon as I met Dr. Krisher that I’d found my breast surgeon. I loved her. She was the whole package, very professional but so caring and compassionate.” Of oncologist Dr. Pallav Mehta,“ At the end of our first appointment, I said you’re my guy. I’m done.” When she met her radiation oncologist, Dr. Sheena Jain she fell in love with her too.

After having had a negative treatment experience at her first facility, including a misdiagnosis (her breast cancer turned out to be Stage 3, not Stage 1), Maria felt like she’d found a medical home at Holy Redeemer. A double mastectomy meant she’d need reconstructive surgery. When she was put in touch with Dr. Bill Scarlett there was déjà vu -they’d already met years before when Maria had had a breast reduction procedure.

Maria will always remember the kind and caring post-op nurse who cared for her immediately after surgery when the pain was at its worst. Later that same day, a male nurse, Chris, also exemplified Redeemer’s commitment to care, comfort, and heal just as the fellow nurse before him. “When he saw how much pain I was in he asked me if I was into oils and then put a napkin with lavender essential oil under my chin. He was the nicest person, just genuinely caring and very concerned.”

Maria still remains grateful to have gotten that second opinion. “Holy Redeemer staff are really special. While I was getting radiation, even the gentleman in the parking lot who welcomed me every day kept me spiritually charged and positive. He was very protective and would ask a doctor to move his car if I couldn’t find a parking spot. It felt like family was taking care of me.”

Maria had her final surgery last December. “It has been almost two years of this going on. I’m at the end of the battle. Cancer-free.” She has only good things to say about the care she received. “People would ask me why Holy Redeemer? And I’d tell them the best doctors aren’t only in Philadelphia. I felt confident in everybody I encountered from the moment I walked in. It was the best decision I ever made.”