“Dr. Reddy, Dr. Hall, and the whole team at Fox Chase got me through everything. They were always there for me.”‐Rosalie Swartz
In 2019, at age 69, I was semi-retired. I was active and healthy and enjoying life with my husband, Harvey, in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Harvey and I had raised a family and worked together for more than 40 years, but we were about to face one of the biggest challenges of our lives: pancreatic cancer.
One morning I woke up with a slight pain below my left shoulder. The pain lingered for three to four days, and it was enough to prompt me to call my primary care physician. After examining me, my physician thought that I might have a problem with a blood clot and suggested I have a chest X-ray.
An X-Ray Finding
The chest X-ray didn’t reveal a blood clot. Instead, it showed something on my pancreas. Concerned, my physician immediately scheduled an endoscopy.
My family went with me for the endoscopy procedure. Afterwards, the doctor that performed it came back and told us that I had pancreatic cancer. I was told I had three to six months to live. I was devastated. This is not something you ever want to hear.
My primary care physician received the results of my endoscopy and told me to get to an oncologist and a surgeon right away. He told me to go to Fox Chase Cancer Center. The person to see, he said, was Dr. Sanjay S. Reddy, a highly respected surgical oncologist. My daughter had also started researching top doctors. Right around that same time, she told me, “Mom, I like this guy at Fox Chase. His name is Sanjay Reddy.”
I knew then that he was the doctor for me. At my first appointment, I knew right away that he was a good doctor. He was able to explain everything to me in a way I could understand. That’s important to me because many doctors can use words and terms that make you feel lost.
Compassionate, Kind, and Respectful
Dr. Reddy was also very compassionate, kind, and respectful. We had caught the cancer early, and he recommended that I undergo what is known as a Whipple procedure, a complex surgery that can take several hours. He also discussed my case with Dr. Michael J. Hall, a medical oncologist, and other members of the treatment team. Together we decided that the best protocol would be to try to shrink the tumor prior to surgery.
I started six sessions of chemotherapy, going once every other week. I got about a month break after chemotherapy to get strong again, and then underwent surgery in October 2019. After the surgery I got another three months “off” to recuperate and then had six more sessions of chemotherapy. I finished my treatment the first week of March 2020, right before the start of the lockdowns for the COVID-19 pandemic.
After I finished my treatment I returned to Fox Chase every three months for blood tests and CT scans. Now I go back every six months. I see Dr. Hall at one six-month appointment and then six months later I see Dr. Reddy. This October, it will be five years since I had my surgery!
My Support
Throughout this whole experience my husband and children Helene, Esther, and Mark, were remarkable, as were my friends. They were my support. During the pandemic, I couldn’t see many people, and my family, friends, and neighbors always made sure to reach out to me, to call, or ask if we needed anything.
Dr. Reddy, Dr. Hall, and the whole team at Fox Chase got me through everything. They were always there for me.
Now, five years out, I am back to being physically active, but it isn’t the same, as I am a bit older now! Dr. Reddy said that my commitment to being active and fit went a long way toward helping me through this experience.
Learn more about treatment for pancreatic cancer at Fox Chase Cancer Center.