July 3, 2025 • 40 mins
Dr. Chika Madu & Dr. Eleny Romanos-Sirakis of Northwell Staten Island University Hospital
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, everyone, This is Steve Dallison and welcome to this
week's edition of CEOs. You should know I am joined
by two doctors from Northwell Staten Island University Hospital that
I'm thrilled to be here today. So let me introduce
you to one, doctor Chicamandu, the Chair of Radiation Medicine,
and secondly doctor Romanos Soracas, the Director of Pediatric Incology.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thank you guys for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Thank you for having us, good morning, Thank you for
having us.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
We're excited to jump in and learn a little bit
more about the both of you. So to kick things off,
I'd love to start a little bit about both of
your paths and what first drew you to ecology and
how that really has helped both your personal and professional lives.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Once I check it off, I'll start.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
What drew me to pediatric oncology really was the extraordinary
blend of both science and the long term relationships that
we have with our patients and families. I was always
fascinated by the complexity of cancer biology and also all
the great treatments that we had for patients. But what
really true true moved me with seeing how deep our
(01:01):
relationships could be between our patients, our families, and our
care teams. So I worked and trained at NYU prior
to coming to Staten Island University Hospital, and I can
remember day one of my training. I cared for a
young patient who was so resilient in the face of cancer.
They were there making me smile, they were telling me stories.
(01:25):
Their family had such unwavering strength, and that stayed with
me long after my first day of being a doctor,
and that experience truly changed me. It showed me that
this field is more about treating the disease. It's about
walking alongside people during some of the most vulnerable moments
of their lives and helping them through this journey. So
(01:46):
this is These are some of the experiences that really
shaped how I practiced today. I not only focus on
delivering the most advanced, up to date care, but also
on being present, listening deeply, and honoring the experience that
every family has because it's a personal experience. I've learned
(02:07):
that every small gesture, it can be a conversation in
the right moment, actually just sitting in silence when needed,
or celebrating milestones and impedes.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Oncology.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
We love to celebrate every milestone we can are just
as important as the clinical decisions we make.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I will say that pediatric oncology.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Definitely demands everything from you, both intellectually and emotionally, but
it gives me a profound privilege to make a difference
in ways that stays with people forever. If I am
able to cure a disease, ease some symptoms, and also
get smiles and laughs from a child and their family
(02:50):
that I'm doing something right, and it truly is an
honor and a privilege to be part of their their
journey and their lives, that's.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Awesome, doctor Mindeu.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
So my first introduction to reditional oncology was in medical
school and it was just by happenstance. So in med
school we had career seminar series for the first year
med students. So once a month they'll serve pizza though
I showed it, and they'll have physicians from different subspecialties. Right,
(03:23):
so you know about internal medicine, pediatrics, you know, surgery,
the general stuff, but the subspecialties that most people don't
hear about. They'll have physicians from those subspecialties come and
talk about their field. So the chair of Reditional College
at the time at University of Michigan came and spoke
about Raditional College, and I thought it was the coolest
thing ever. It combined technology, which I loved with the
(03:46):
care of patients, walking alongside patients through the most difficult
times of their lives, but being able to create change
by harnessing the power of technology, harnessing the power of
collaboration with other medical fields.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
So I did some research in the field.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Between my first and second year of medical school and
that was it. I was sold, and that's how I
ended up in radiationalcology.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
And like A Laney said.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
It's a privilege to be able to walk alongside patients
and their families. I've treated patients their family members, right,
So it's sort of water mouth. Even when you treat
a patient and they don't survive because it's just a
bad cancer. I'm always amazed when someone else in that
(04:36):
family gets cancer and they send them right back to me, right.
So it's just you know, that trust that you build
with the families, that's what keeps going.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
We could definitely tell you both really care and that's
one of the most important things. So thank you both
for all you guys do. Both of your careers have
spanned with the clinical and academic leadership, How is your
journey through education, rese search in direct patient care really
influence your role in shaping the future of cancer treatment.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Sure, so you know there are two aspects to it.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
So it is the clinical care, right, So I'm aging
myself now. I've finished my training in two thousand and eight,
so it's been a while, right, So as you do
it over and over again, it becomes kind of like
riding a bike, right, second nature. But the other part
of medicine that is not taught in medical school and
(05:34):
not taught in residency is leadership in medicine. It's just
unless if you get an MBA while you're in med school,
you're not going to know that stuff. So the great
thing about Northwell and what they're doing is they have
established physician leadership development programs and executive leadership programs, both
of which I've taken through Northwell, and it gives you
a different view of medicine and how to operational things.
(06:01):
And when you look at how things are being run,
if it's working, great, you make it better. If it's
not working, then figure out a way to make it better.
But being on both sides actually gives us an advantage
to be able to raise health for everybody.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Okay, I will piggyback off of that.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
So my journey through clinical care, education and research really
has given me a full three hundred and sixty degree
view of what it takes to move the field forward
and more importantly, how to do it in a way
that keeps the patients and their families right in the
center and at the forefront of our care. As a clinician,
(06:42):
I see firsthand the urgency of our work.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I see the faces.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Behind all the statistics, the gaps and access, and the
incredible strength of the children and our families facing cancer.
And that's the daily connection that really grounds the decisions
that I make. Then, as an education as well, I
understand the importance and the power of investing in our
next generation, teaching them not only the science but the
(07:09):
heart of oncology, which is so important, and it's about
shaping thoughtful, resilient, compassionate leaders who will carry our work forward.
And Lastly, as a researcher, I'm committed to discovery. I'm
looking at what are our current clinical problems and questions
and how can we best answer them? How can we
make things better for our patients? And I think together
(07:31):
these experiences have shaped how I lead. I really truly
have a focus on collaboration, equity, and innovation. You know,
my goal is really to build bridges to accelerate progress
and to ensure success and innovation through the future of
cancer treatments.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Thank you both for sharing that.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Doctor Mandeu, I know that you've been leading advancements in
radiation oncology while at the same time driving initiatives around
diversity and equity in the clinical trial space. How do
you balance the clinical innovation around health equality while having
that integration that's so critical to today.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
It's so hard, it's so hard, but it's so important,
right and we can't move forward without it.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
So on a national level.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
I chair the Committee on Community Engagement and Advocacy for
ASTRO so that's the Association of Radiational Oncologists, and part
of our goals are number one, access screening, making it
accessible for many patients, and then number two clinical research. Right,
(08:43):
so you have lots of clinical trials that are open
out there, and we can't advance cancel care without doing
the research and figuring out better ways of hearing cancer
who's en role in the clinical trials?
Speaker 2 (08:56):
What is a population of the United States? Do they match?
They do not.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
So then the question is why is there disparity with
regard to who's enrolled when you look at the population
of the United States, And then we start to sort
of dig into what are the potential barriers.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Is it because it's lack of trust?
Speaker 5 (09:14):
Is it because we make the inclusion criterion to clinical
research so tough with things that are not scientifically necessary.
That way, you're now filtering out a lot of the
population that really should be enrolled in that clinical trial.
And why is it important to have everyone enrolled in
clinical trials? If there's a new drug development or different
(09:36):
kind of radiation treatment or medical treatment, how do I
know that it's equally as effective in all populations. I'm
not going to know that unless if I have enough
enrollees from all the different populations. So our goal is
to try to make a lot of the research bodies
understand and hopefully shape how they create and design clinical
(10:00):
trials to eliminate some of the barriers that we know
that are in the way, things like financial toxicity. When
you have a single mom who's on an hourly paid job,
so we have to be able to manage them being
able to keep their job and being enrolled in a
clinical trial. So there has to be some level of
(10:22):
financial incentive for transportation for the misday at work because
now they have to be in my clinic do and
follow up for this clinical trial. And then looking at
our inclusion criteria, making sure that all of the exclusion
criteria are scientifically necessary, and then just sort of you know,
looking at rapport like Elene said, you know, just how
(10:45):
are we approaching patients regarding clinical trials. We should eliminate
bias on conscious bias and not look at someone and say, well,
that person's probably not going to want.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
To be enrolled in trial. You present it to everyone.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Yeah, and OSCO has done trials in this and if
you present the clinical trial to everyone, fifty percent will
say yes and it doesn't matter which population.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
So that's our goal is to continue. It's hard.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
It's hard work, is you know, but it requires persistence
and perseverance to continue to change how we structure clinical
research design so that people can enroll.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Yeah, hard work, but very important work. They will make
a big impact on the future too. Great stuff, Doctor
Romanos serrakis now question for you. You co developed the
Pediatric Comfort Campaign and authored a pediatric ouative care curriculum.
What inspired these innovations and how has it really transformed
the experience overall?
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Great question.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
So these are some of the things I'm very passionate about,
and the inspiration for these programs really came from a
very simple but powerful truth that children deserve to feel safe,
they deserve to feel supported, and they deserve to feel
understood through every stage of their cancer treatment and their journey.
(12:07):
And this work spanned even beyond pediatric oncology to involve
all pediatric patients because it's important for all pediatric patients
to feel safe, supported and understood. So over the years,
I saw that the emotional and physical suffering could ease,
could be eased with early and intentional support, and continue
(12:32):
all of this throughout treatment as well. So it empowered
clinicians and our trainees to feel more equipped to have
difficult conversations and to offer more of a level of
comfort focused care. The Pediatric Comfort Campaign itself was designed
to shift our culture to make comfort and emotional well
being a core component of care and not just an
(12:55):
optimal one. And then when it came to the the
and when it came to the palliative care curriculum, that
was created to empower our trainees and our staff to
give them the skills they needed to communicate with compassion,
manage symptoms throughout care proactively, and also to walk alongside
families during really incredibly complex moments. So I believe that
(13:18):
these innovations truly have helped to transform the pediatric experience
at our hospital. Every plan we make is individualized and
focuses on the patient and the family's individual needs. Families
continue to feel more supported, children feel more at ease,
and our care teams also feel more confident and connected
(13:42):
in how they show up for patients, So not just
as medical professionals, but as humans as well.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Yeah. Absolutely, it's really important work, both for the patient
and the families. So you're making a big difference there, absolutely,
So for the both of you guys. I know that
the state of the art cancer centers that are now
established in stain aland have been game changers. How have
you been leveraging the infrastructure to push the boundaries of
innovation and cancer care?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Sure?
Speaker 5 (14:08):
So the other hat that I wear lots of hats
is as medical director of the Florina Cancer Center. And
the background behind it is, uh, there's a young lady Florina,
Markie Rusci, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a
(14:29):
very early age and after a while, unfortunately succumbed to it.
And her family was so devoted to making sure that
there was increased access to care and you know, just
to offer better care. They donated a significant amount of
money toward our breast center or breast surgery center, and
(14:52):
that took off and that was beautiful. And then after
a few years we've been talking about, you know, getting
everyone in the same building. So radiational oncology was in
a different building, Medical oncology was in a different building,
Pediatrical culture was in a different building.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Was a mess.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
So the goal was to build this magnificent building and
get everyone together and all of the subt specialties, including
all of the help that we need to get the
patients through their care. So in this one building, you
have pediatric ecology, we have medical oncology, you have raditional college,
We have pharmacy in there, we have social work, we
(15:31):
have nutritionists, we have a patient navigators. When a patient
walks in, there is someone who's walking them through every
step of the way. If they need radiology biopsy, they're
always helping them. We have a pediatric life specialist who
is awesome, you know with the children. So all goal
is to in this building offer multidisciplinary care. That way,
(15:55):
when a patient comes in, let's say for a complicated
pancreatic cancer, you should be able to see the surgeon,
the medical and colleges, the radiational collegists in one day
so that we can come up with a cohesive plan
for the patient and then have the patient navigator kind
of walk them through the process. Clinical trials also in
(16:17):
the building, we have lots of clinical trials that are
open in conjunction with the Cancer Institute as a whole,
and being able to offer that then gives stuttn Islanders
right the opportunity to stay on the island for their
cancer care. When you're getting cancer care and you're getting
chemotherapy or you're getting radiation, radition is every day. Wants
(16:38):
to drug into the city every day.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It's just difficult.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
You're tired, and it's also a strain on your caregivers
as well and on your family. So we're offering state
of the art technology. We're offering state of the art
chemotherapy and then the supportive services all in one building
clinical trials, and that keeps our patients on the island
instead of adding another stressor to their lives.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
So I can approach that from a pediatric perspective as well.
So with the establishment of the new cancer center, we
were very intentional about designing not just the facility, but
an environment that puts patients and their families at the
center of everything.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
The space is.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Warm, it's open, and most importantly, our area is child
friendly and that has had a really powerful ripple effect.
We've seen a meaningful increase in our patient volume, particularly
from as mentioned, families who previously may have traveled long
distances for specialized care that we can now offer on
(17:43):
Staten Island in their own backyard. The growth has created
new opportunities for us to innovate. Ultimately, the infrastructure has
allowed us to reimagine what comprehensive family center oncology care
looks like. And I like to say, finally, the facad
matches the beauty, the heart and the brains of our
(18:04):
care team. So we're pretty on the outside now as
well as as well as giving everything that the patient
needs for comprehensive care.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
That's awesome. I know you mentioned one of the advantages
also having Staten Island residents get to stay on the island,
and I know Staten Island has some of the highest
cancer rates in New York City. What is your long
term vision for improving outcomes and access to care in
this community, particularly the underserved populations.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I agree, access access, access right.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
So we have to get to the patients where they
are right, not just putting up our sign and saying, oh,
come to us, right, we have to get to them.
So right now, with our Community Events Department, we are
able to go out to different communities and we have
table and events. We partner with some of the companies
(18:57):
in town, so when something's happening, we'll go there, We'll
go to churches and basically create awareness around everything that
NOTE was able to offer in the island. Screening screening, screening, right,
there's nothing like catching a cancer early, taking care of
it early so that we don't end up having to
have complex treatments for that cancer. There are a few
(19:21):
things you know that you can't catch with screening, but
a lot of them you can, right, So things like
breast cancer. Right, we have the mammogram, we've got the
ultrasound cervical cancer, we've got vaccines that you can start
doing at an early age. But even if you didn't
get the vaccines, there's no reason why we can't get
(19:42):
a perhaps mare.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Right.
Speaker 5 (19:44):
And you can catch these things early before they turn
into cancer. Colon cancer right. So we're seeing colon cancer
diagnoses in younger and younger patients. Right, So we can
do a colonoscopy and then depending on your risk level,
you'll follow up accordingly. But if we can catch these
things early, partner with the community, then we can get
(20:07):
them in in a timely manner, offer timely cancel care
and then timely follow.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Up care as well anything else even on us sure.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
So again I will echo that access to care is
very very important. I want every child, no matter there
are zip code, to have access to the most advanced treatments.
We are working toward enrolling pediatric patients across Staten Island
on clinical trials, which is something new for Staten Island
and we would be the only site available on Staten
Island offering clinical trials for pediatric oncology.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
So that's really exciting for us.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Everything that we have learned and used working in Manhattan
in the past, we are bringing to the patients of
Staten Island making.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Sure that that access is local.
Speaker 4 (20:52):
We want to ensure that top quality care is available locally,
and I want to emphasize that we really have succeeded
in bringing the comprehension of cancer care closer to home.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
And also I.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Want to say that we continue to partner with families
in a way that honors their lived experience, because everybody
is different and we individualize care in that way. So
ultimately my vision is that every child diagnosed with cancer
in our region receives not only world class care, but
care that feels personal, individualized, accessible and equitable, and that's
(21:28):
how we'll improve outcomes going forward.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
It's such a nice burden to take off of the
patients and their families to have you guys so close
to home and have all that amazing technology and cutting edge.
That's great. Doctor Mindeu. I know you're the chair of
the Radiation Medicine. How are you shaping moving forward the
department's strategy to prepare for the next generation of in
collegists to deliver and continue that cutting edge and compassionate care.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
I have to say I'm a little jealous of the
new generation. When we trained technology, it was not this good, right,
it was not this.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Good, you know.
Speaker 5 (22:04):
But luckily for all of us humans, technology has improved, right,
So there's so many things that we can do, we
can modify to sort of make that experience for the
patient better. So let's pick breast cancer. You know, typically
and some people still do it now, but I can
tell you in our department, we are tattoo lists, right.
(22:26):
So that means when a patient comes in for their
planning session back in the day, you get the ink,
get you have a couple of marks on your skin,
and there's always a constant reminder when that woman looks
in the mirror of their breast cancer treatment, their breast
cancer radiation pathway, we're tattoo lists, right, So now we
use sort of the skin control in for a red light,
(22:47):
and we're tracking motion of the body, and that's how
we're making sure the patient is in the right position
every time. That way, you can come in and get
your radiation treatment for the breast and go home and
I don't have to remind you every day that you
have breast radiation, things like protecting the heart when you
do radiation, things like adaptive radiotherapy, meaning we can on
(23:10):
the fly redo a cat scan, replan the radiation. Let's say,
if we're head and neck cancer patient who's got bulky
node and then they're getting chema, they getting radiation and
it's getting smaller, I can on the fly adapt my
radiation therapy.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Plan to what it looks like now.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
So this is exciting technology for all of our trainees,
all of our young attendings. And we're working on getting
one of those machines that's thattn Island and it'll.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Be great for the community.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
That way, we're able to offer the latest and greatest
to our community.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
That's awesome, exciting stuff. Yes, yes, doctor Romano Sakis, your
leadership and research and facility development play a key role
in advancing pediatric care. How do you strategically prioritize innovation,
education and mentorship across these programs.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
That's a great question. There's not enough hours in the day.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
But I will say that I view all of these
not really as separate goals, but as our interconnected responsibilities
in how we shape the care for children and our families.
So in terms of education, I prioritize that by making
sure that our trainees are not just learning the science
of pediatric cancer, but also the human side, because that's
(24:23):
so important. How to communicate with families, how to lead
with empathy, and how to advocate for patients. Those are
really important skills that they have to learn, and we
want our future doctors to be healers, to be scientists
and listeners all at the same time.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
On the innovation front, we try and foster a culture
of curiosity. With every challenge, there's an opportunity we can ask,
you know, how can we do better? How can we
improve the lives and care of our patients? And we're
constantly looking for ways to move the field forward, and
we involve our trainees in every step in that process
because we want them to learn to think creatively and
(25:00):
critically from the start. And lastly, the mentorship piece of it.
I think that's the thread that holds everything together. I
believe strongly in investing in people, guiding them through not
only their clinical work or research projects, but through growth
as leaders, colleagues, and caregivers.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Those are all really important. We've built formal mentorship structures
and programs in place to ensure that no one is
left navigating this journey alone, which is really important. So
at the end of the day, I think when you
think about the education, the innovation, the mentorship, it's all
about building a better future for our patients.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
When we support our teams to learn.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
To question, and to grow, that's when we give our
children on families the very best care that we can
and it leads to growth for the future.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Absolutely, you both both seem to be doing an incredible
job of passing it forward and getting the next generation
the chapter ready to take over to it.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
So that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Both of you guys lead in college and I know,
especially during times there could be rapid change and things
could be very demanding. And we've talked there's not enough
hours in the day a lot of the times, right,
What has been each of your greatest leadership challenges and
how did you navigate.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Those time.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
It's you know, not enough hours, not enough hours and
finding a way to sort of balance at Oh, there's
no balance, right, It's just something wins one day. Yeah,
something wins one day and then the next day something
else wins. But in the end you sort of have
to keep your focus from the goal. You know, we
have to deal with clinical care and then leadership.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I just came back from Washington, d C. Last week.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
We were at Capitol Hill advocating for cancer patients, clinical research,
payment reforms, and you know, prior authorizations. Sometimes patients their care,
the cancer care is delayed because I'm waiting for insurance
company to say yes because there's prioritization. So all of
those things, some of them are under our control, some
(27:09):
of them are not right. So for something like that,
you have to go to Congress and beg them to
make sure that this is forefront right. Because the care
of the patient depends on what the government does, depends
on what insurance companies do, and what the hospitals do
as well. And we believe that the patient, you know,
should really be the center of all of our focus.
(27:32):
So trying to find time to do it all is difficult,
I have to say. But in the end, you know,
we make it work, right, you know, one day at
a time.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Right.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
So that was a great answer, But I want to
bring us back to a specific point in time. You know,
something that we may all remember, the COVID nineteen pandemics.
So I think that was one of the greatest leadership
challenges that I faced was leading the team through the pandemic.
In pediatric oncology, where care is really complex, continuity is
(28:08):
really critical.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
The disruption was.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
Really immediate, really personal, and that was and it affected patients,
it affected families, and it affected staff all across the board.
We had to make so many rapid decisions about how
to deliver safe, high quality care with limited information. They
were evolving guidelines and very real fears. Families were very anxious.
(28:32):
Staff were also anxious, but also stretched very thin. And
yet the one thing that didn't pause was cancer didn't pause.
We didn't get a break from cancer during that time period.
So I navigated that by focusing on my three c's, communication, compassion,
and clarity. So I made it a point to ensure
(28:52):
that my team was well informed even when answers were
still evolving and we didn't know the final answer yet.
Frequent meetings, we encouraged open discussion, and it was really
important that we validated the emotional toll that the pandemic
was taking on everyone's staff and patients and families alike.
We also had to rethink what patient centered care looked
(29:16):
like at that point. So that meant at that point
expanding telehealth, reworking or treatment protocols, being incredibly intentional about
what service has had to remain in person, all while
protecting what I consider our most vulnerable population.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
At that time.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
So leading through COVID really taught me that in times
of crisis, people don't need just direction, They need empathy,
they need transparency, they need a leader who listens.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
And it was one of the hardest times of my.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
Career, but I truly believe that it strengthened our team,
our system, and ultimately our sense of purpose and we
came out of it much stronger than we went in.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Absolutely, So speaking of what's next, right, what's next for
stan at North Wales Staten Island University Hospital, any exciting
developments on the horizon for each of you?
Speaker 5 (30:09):
I think for the cancer center as a whole, will
continue to work on expanding what we're doing, expanding care,
expanding sites to get to where the patients are, expanding
clinical trials like I mentioned earlier, and then expanding our collaboration.
So tomorrow I'm going to Albany. Never never ends, but
(30:31):
I'll be in Albany tomorrow because I'm on the Council
for Cancer Detection, Early Detection and Screening and Cancer Prevention
for the for New York State. But those sort of
collaborative efforts in trying to make sure that we're screening
patients and then preventing cancers. Uh, we we get some
funding from the state to be able to do that
(30:54):
for cancer patients on Staten Island, you know. So continuing
the community outreach, clinical trials and expanding our care it's
really exciting.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
Yeah, so very similar in pediatrics as well. Across the board,
We've laid a great foundation and we're entering a truly
exciting chapter in our hospital for pediatric oncology, expanding access
to the cutting edge therapies as I mentioned, creating access
for the patients to enroll on clinical trials and receive
these new innovative treatments closer to home. And also to
(31:27):
continue to invest in our staff and employees through leadership development,
wellness programming, and interpersonal education, because it's really important that
we strengthen our team from within in order to continue
to provide this high quality care both with the science
and the human nature of empathy. But ultimately what's next
(31:47):
for us is simple but ambitious. We want to continue
to deepen the compassion, advance the science, and extend our
greater reach. We want to continue to partner with communities,
partner with pediatricians and other healthcare providers. We're not just
expanding an on condoly, We're not just expanding an oncology program.
(32:09):
I think we're building a community of care where innovation
and humanity go hand in hand.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
And that's so important, very important.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
I always love asking this question, and it sounds like
you both deeply care about the next group of doctors.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
That come in.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
So if anyone is tuning in right now that's thinking
of entering the medical profession, what advice would you give them?
What advice would you give your previous self when you
were first joining the field.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
It's too many distractions, right, and the care of patients, right.
If it's not EMR, if it's whatever's happening in politics,
there's always you know, there will always be something to
distract you. But what I will tell the young ones
is stay focused, right, keep your goal your goal, and
when you need help, ask for help.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Right.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Help is always it. It's always going to be difficult.
Speaker 5 (32:59):
In fact, yeah, not everyone has unlimited resources, but every
once in a while. If you need the help, ask
for help, and help will be there.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
So I think one of the most important lessons I've
learned about empowering myself as well as the next generation,
especially in a field that's emotionally demanding like pediatric oncology,
is that the technical excellence is just not enough. We
have to support the whole person. Pediatric oncology is deeply rewarding.
(33:29):
I couldn't do it every day if it wasn't, but
it's also incredibly intense. Trainees are not just learning medicine,
they're learning how to sit with families in the hardest
moments of their lives, how to process their own emotions
in a healthy way at the same time, so it
definitely is a balance.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
I've learned that.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
Empowerment means creating environments where vulnerability is not seen as
a weakness, but it's part of the work, and I
try to model that myself as well, by being honest
about the emotional complexity of my field and by encouraging reflection,
pure support, very important and open conversations about burnout and
(34:09):
resilience to try and avoid that. I also try and
focus on helping the trainees find meaning in the work
that we do, not by teaching just the science, but
by connecting them to the why behind what we do.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
You know, when they.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
Feel valued and supported and connected to the purpose, trainees
will thrive. So ultimately my lesson is this, To truly
empower the next generation, I think we have to teach
them how to care for others without losing themselves in
the process, and that requires mentorship that is both clinically
rigorous and deeply human, which we fully support and have
(34:47):
on a continuous basis at Northwell.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
Awesome, great advice from both of you, guys. We covered
a lot. But what's one thing you want people to
take obey about your mission?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
What would that be?
Speaker 5 (35:01):
I would say, there is one life, right, we all have.
One life is limited edition take care of it, take
care of it, and we have to. In order to
do we have take care of each other. And that's
that's absolutely important. So let's help one another care for
each other. If you have a neighbor who hasn't been
(35:24):
to the doctor in twenty years, knock on their door,
bring them to us. We'll take care of them and
that's how we grow as a community.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
And health absolutely one message that I would take away
is that every child deserves not only the best science,
but the deepest compassion, and all of these things in
their own backyard, without unnecessarily unnecessary travel. My mission has
always been to bridge the two, both the science and
(35:53):
the empathy, to ensure that patients facing the unimaginable, feel seen,
feel supported and surrounded by a team that's truly relentless
in both expertise and empathy. And this is all local
for patients, so that they don't have to travel and
trade away time and quality of life, because again, there
(36:14):
is just one life right. Time is limited for all
of us, and we want to maximize the quality of
life and the moments you spend outside of the hospital,
not commuting, but truly enjoying what makes you happy. So,
whether it's advancing treatments, or mentoring the next generation, or
expanding access to care, everything we do comes back to
(36:34):
the core belief that curing cancer isn't just about the medicine.
It's about showing up for patients, showing up for children
and their families in a way that truly honors them,
truly honors their strength, and truly honors their humanity.
Speaker 5 (36:50):
Absolutely, a no bridge or ferry required for that. Stand
there you go.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
If anyone is tuning in that wants to learn more,
they want to support the work you're doing, what is
the first call to action that they should take.
Speaker 4 (37:04):
So I can just say that in cancer care and
pediatric cancer care is not something any of us can
do alone. It really takes a community. So whether you're
a healthcare professional, researcher, a parent, a policymaker, or just
simply someone who cares, there's always something you can do
to support the work. So if you're looking to get involved,
you can partner with us through philanthropy, community outreach, education.
(37:27):
We welcome all of that. Together we can truly build
a future where every child with cancer, no matter who
they are, where they live, gets the care and hope
and healing they deserve. I want to stress that everybody
can truly play a role. So you can donate blood,
You can join the registry to see if you might
be a potential match for someone who might need a transplant.
(37:50):
You can raise awareness, You can raise money to support
our patients and improve their equality of life and care.
All of these measures can be both life saving and
improving the quality of life for the patients. And beyond that,
we can advocate for equitable access to care, support, research,
mentor our next generation of compassionate clinicians, or simply, and
(38:15):
maybe most importantly, just take the time to listen to
families walking through probably what they would consider the hardest
time of their lives, or lend them a helping hand.
Compassion really goes a long way, and I think compassion
on a daily basis, your compassion matters and will matter.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
More than you know in these scenarios.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
Absolutely, to piggyback on that, there are several walks that
Northwall will host throughout the year. We have a north
Wall Walk that just happened a couple of weeks ago.
In September, we have the Lustgarten Foundation Walk. In October,
we have the Breast Cancel Walk. We have several walks
that happened throughout the year. So if you're interested, please
(38:58):
join us SIUA on Facebook, go to our website, go
on LinkedIn. I'm there always. You know social media, I
pretend I know how to do social media, but it's
it's important join us and you can find out all
of the things that we're doing.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Next week.
Speaker 5 (39:14):
I believe in June seventh, we're having our National Cancel
Survivors Day event and where we honor our patients, our
cancel patients and the caregivers. So you're welcome to join us.
It's going to be at the Hilton on Staten Island.
Free to join, but always you know, extending a hand
to other people is much appreciated.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
That's awesome, great way for the whole community to get involved.
Well it sounds like at North walest An Island University House.
But you guys are doing amazing work, so thank you
for that. Thank you both for sharing your journey, more
insights into the field and really a look ahead of
what's next. You guys do incredible work every single day,
so you should both feel extremely.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
Proud of that.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
Thank you, thank you for having us, thank you for
joining us, and thank you guys for tuning in this
week to this week's edition of CUS No tune in
next week.
Hi, everyone, This is Steve Dallison and welcome to this
week's edition of CEOs. You should know I am joined
by two doctors from Northwell Staten Island University Hospital that
I'm thrilled to be here today. So let me introduce
you to one, doctor Chicamandu, the Chair of Radiation Medicine,
and secondly doctor Romanos Soracas, the Director of Pediatric Incology.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thank you guys for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Thank you for having us, good morning, Thank you for
having us.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
We're excited to jump in and learn a little bit
more about the both of you. So to kick things off,
I'd love to start a little bit about both of
your paths and what first drew you to ecology and
how that really has helped both your personal and professional lives.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Once I check it off, I'll start.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
What drew me to pediatric oncology really was the extraordinary
blend of both science and the long term relationships that
we have with our patients and families. I was always
fascinated by the complexity of cancer biology and also all
the great treatments that we had for patients. But what
really true true moved me with seeing how deep our
(01:01):
relationships could be between our patients, our families, and our
care teams. So I worked and trained at NYU prior
to coming to Staten Island University Hospital, and I can
remember day one of my training. I cared for a
young patient who was so resilient in the face of cancer.
They were there making me smile, they were telling me stories.
(01:25):
Their family had such unwavering strength, and that stayed with
me long after my first day of being a doctor,
and that experience truly changed me. It showed me that
this field is more about treating the disease. It's about
walking alongside people during some of the most vulnerable moments
of their lives and helping them through this journey. So
(01:46):
this is These are some of the experiences that really
shaped how I practiced today. I not only focus on
delivering the most advanced, up to date care, but also
on being present, listening deeply, and honoring the experience that
every family has because it's a personal experience. I've learned
(02:07):
that every small gesture, it can be a conversation in
the right moment, actually just sitting in silence when needed,
or celebrating milestones and impedes.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Oncology.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
We love to celebrate every milestone we can are just
as important as the clinical decisions we make.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I will say that pediatric oncology.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Definitely demands everything from you, both intellectually and emotionally, but
it gives me a profound privilege to make a difference
in ways that stays with people forever. If I am
able to cure a disease, ease some symptoms, and also
get smiles and laughs from a child and their family
(02:50):
that I'm doing something right, and it truly is an
honor and a privilege to be part of their their
journey and their lives, that's.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Awesome, doctor Mindeu.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
So my first introduction to reditional oncology was in medical
school and it was just by happenstance. So in med
school we had career seminar series for the first year
med students. So once a month they'll serve pizza though
I showed it, and they'll have physicians from different subspecialties. Right,
(03:23):
so you know about internal medicine, pediatrics, you know, surgery,
the general stuff, but the subspecialties that most people don't
hear about. They'll have physicians from those subspecialties come and
talk about their field. So the chair of Reditional College
at the time at University of Michigan came and spoke
about Raditional College, and I thought it was the coolest
thing ever. It combined technology, which I loved with the
(03:46):
care of patients, walking alongside patients through the most difficult
times of their lives, but being able to create change
by harnessing the power of technology, harnessing the power of
collaboration with other medical fields.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
So I did some research in the field.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Between my first and second year of medical school and
that was it. I was sold, and that's how I
ended up in radiationalcology.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
And like A Laney said.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
It's a privilege to be able to walk alongside patients
and their families. I've treated patients their family members, right,
So it's sort of water mouth. Even when you treat
a patient and they don't survive because it's just a
bad cancer. I'm always amazed when someone else in that
(04:36):
family gets cancer and they send them right back to me, right.
So it's just you know, that trust that you build
with the families, that's what keeps going.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
We could definitely tell you both really care and that's
one of the most important things. So thank you both
for all you guys do. Both of your careers have
spanned with the clinical and academic leadership, How is your
journey through education, rese search in direct patient care really
influence your role in shaping the future of cancer treatment.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Sure, so you know there are two aspects to it.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
So it is the clinical care, right, So I'm aging
myself now. I've finished my training in two thousand and eight,
so it's been a while, right, So as you do
it over and over again, it becomes kind of like
riding a bike, right, second nature. But the other part
of medicine that is not taught in medical school and
(05:34):
not taught in residency is leadership in medicine. It's just
unless if you get an MBA while you're in med school,
you're not going to know that stuff. So the great
thing about Northwell and what they're doing is they have
established physician leadership development programs and executive leadership programs, both
of which I've taken through Northwell, and it gives you
a different view of medicine and how to operational things.
(06:01):
And when you look at how things are being run,
if it's working, great, you make it better. If it's
not working, then figure out a way to make it better.
But being on both sides actually gives us an advantage
to be able to raise health for everybody.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Okay, I will piggyback off of that.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
So my journey through clinical care, education and research really
has given me a full three hundred and sixty degree
view of what it takes to move the field forward
and more importantly, how to do it in a way
that keeps the patients and their families right in the
center and at the forefront of our care. As a clinician,
(06:42):
I see firsthand the urgency of our work.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I see the faces.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Behind all the statistics, the gaps and access, and the
incredible strength of the children and our families facing cancer.
And that's the daily connection that really grounds the decisions
that I make. Then, as an education as well, I
understand the importance and the power of investing in our
next generation, teaching them not only the science but the
(07:09):
heart of oncology, which is so important, and it's about
shaping thoughtful, resilient, compassionate leaders who will carry our work forward.
And Lastly, as a researcher, I'm committed to discovery. I'm
looking at what are our current clinical problems and questions
and how can we best answer them? How can we
make things better for our patients? And I think together
(07:31):
these experiences have shaped how I lead. I really truly
have a focus on collaboration, equity, and innovation. You know,
my goal is really to build bridges to accelerate progress
and to ensure success and innovation through the future of
cancer treatments.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Thank you both for sharing that.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Doctor Mandeu, I know that you've been leading advancements in
radiation oncology while at the same time driving initiatives around
diversity and equity in the clinical trial space. How do
you balance the clinical innovation around health equality while having
that integration that's so critical to today.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
It's so hard, it's so hard, but it's so important,
right and we can't move forward without it.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
So on a national level.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
I chair the Committee on Community Engagement and Advocacy for
ASTRO so that's the Association of Radiational Oncologists, and part
of our goals are number one, access screening, making it
accessible for many patients, and then number two clinical research. Right,
(08:43):
so you have lots of clinical trials that are open
out there, and we can't advance cancel care without doing
the research and figuring out better ways of hearing cancer
who's en role in the clinical trials?
Speaker 2 (08:56):
What is a population of the United States? Do they match?
They do not.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
So then the question is why is there disparity with
regard to who's enrolled when you look at the population
of the United States, And then we start to sort
of dig into what are the potential barriers.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Is it because it's lack of trust?
Speaker 5 (09:14):
Is it because we make the inclusion criterion to clinical
research so tough with things that are not scientifically necessary.
That way, you're now filtering out a lot of the
population that really should be enrolled in that clinical trial.
And why is it important to have everyone enrolled in
clinical trials? If there's a new drug development or different
(09:36):
kind of radiation treatment or medical treatment, how do I
know that it's equally as effective in all populations. I'm
not going to know that unless if I have enough
enrollees from all the different populations. So our goal is
to try to make a lot of the research bodies
understand and hopefully shape how they create and design clinical
(10:00):
trials to eliminate some of the barriers that we know
that are in the way, things like financial toxicity. When
you have a single mom who's on an hourly paid job,
so we have to be able to manage them being
able to keep their job and being enrolled in a
clinical trial. So there has to be some level of
(10:22):
financial incentive for transportation for the misday at work because
now they have to be in my clinic do and
follow up for this clinical trial. And then looking at
our inclusion criteria, making sure that all of the exclusion
criteria are scientifically necessary, and then just sort of you know,
looking at rapport like Elene said, you know, just how
(10:45):
are we approaching patients regarding clinical trials. We should eliminate
bias on conscious bias and not look at someone and say, well,
that person's probably not going to want.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
To be enrolled in trial. You present it to everyone.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Yeah, and OSCO has done trials in this and if
you present the clinical trial to everyone, fifty percent will
say yes and it doesn't matter which population.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
So that's our goal is to continue. It's hard.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
It's hard work, is you know, but it requires persistence
and perseverance to continue to change how we structure clinical
research design so that people can enroll.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Yeah, hard work, but very important work. They will make
a big impact on the future too. Great stuff, Doctor
Romanos serrakis now question for you. You co developed the
Pediatric Comfort Campaign and authored a pediatric ouative care curriculum.
What inspired these innovations and how has it really transformed
the experience overall?
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Great question.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
So these are some of the things I'm very passionate about,
and the inspiration for these programs really came from a
very simple but powerful truth that children deserve to feel safe,
they deserve to feel supported, and they deserve to feel
understood through every stage of their cancer treatment and their journey.
(12:07):
And this work spanned even beyond pediatric oncology to involve
all pediatric patients because it's important for all pediatric patients
to feel safe, supported and understood. So over the years,
I saw that the emotional and physical suffering could ease,
could be eased with early and intentional support, and continue
(12:32):
all of this throughout treatment as well. So it empowered
clinicians and our trainees to feel more equipped to have
difficult conversations and to offer more of a level of
comfort focused care. The Pediatric Comfort Campaign itself was designed
to shift our culture to make comfort and emotional well
being a core component of care and not just an
(12:55):
optimal one. And then when it came to the the
and when it came to the palliative care curriculum, that
was created to empower our trainees and our staff to
give them the skills they needed to communicate with compassion,
manage symptoms throughout care proactively, and also to walk alongside
families during really incredibly complex moments. So I believe that
(13:18):
these innovations truly have helped to transform the pediatric experience
at our hospital. Every plan we make is individualized and
focuses on the patient and the family's individual needs. Families
continue to feel more supported, children feel more at ease,
and our care teams also feel more confident and connected
(13:42):
in how they show up for patients, So not just
as medical professionals, but as humans as well.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Yeah. Absolutely, it's really important work, both for the patient
and the families. So you're making a big difference there, absolutely,
So for the both of you guys. I know that
the state of the art cancer centers that are now
established in stain aland have been game changers. How have
you been leveraging the infrastructure to push the boundaries of
innovation and cancer care?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Sure?
Speaker 5 (14:08):
So the other hat that I wear lots of hats
is as medical director of the Florina Cancer Center. And
the background behind it is, uh, there's a young lady Florina,
Markie Rusci, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a
(14:29):
very early age and after a while, unfortunately succumbed to it.
And her family was so devoted to making sure that
there was increased access to care and you know, just
to offer better care. They donated a significant amount of
money toward our breast center or breast surgery center, and
(14:52):
that took off and that was beautiful. And then after
a few years we've been talking about, you know, getting
everyone in the same building. So radiational oncology was in
a different building, Medical oncology was in a different building,
Pediatrical culture was in a different building.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Was a mess.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
So the goal was to build this magnificent building and
get everyone together and all of the subt specialties, including
all of the help that we need to get the
patients through their care. So in this one building, you
have pediatric ecology, we have medical oncology, you have raditional college,
We have pharmacy in there, we have social work, we
(15:31):
have nutritionists, we have a patient navigators. When a patient
walks in, there is someone who's walking them through every
step of the way. If they need radiology biopsy, they're
always helping them. We have a pediatric life specialist who
is awesome, you know with the children. So all goal
is to in this building offer multidisciplinary care. That way,
(15:55):
when a patient comes in, let's say for a complicated
pancreatic cancer, you should be able to see the surgeon,
the medical and colleges, the radiational collegists in one day
so that we can come up with a cohesive plan
for the patient and then have the patient navigator kind
of walk them through the process. Clinical trials also in
(16:17):
the building, we have lots of clinical trials that are
open in conjunction with the Cancer Institute as a whole,
and being able to offer that then gives stuttn Islanders
right the opportunity to stay on the island for their
cancer care. When you're getting cancer care and you're getting
chemotherapy or you're getting radiation, radition is every day. Wants
(16:38):
to drug into the city every day.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It's just difficult.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
You're tired, and it's also a strain on your caregivers
as well and on your family. So we're offering state
of the art technology. We're offering state of the art
chemotherapy and then the supportive services all in one building
clinical trials, and that keeps our patients on the island
instead of adding another stressor to their lives.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
So I can approach that from a pediatric perspective as well.
So with the establishment of the new cancer center, we
were very intentional about designing not just the facility, but
an environment that puts patients and their families at the
center of everything.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
The space is.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Warm, it's open, and most importantly, our area is child
friendly and that has had a really powerful ripple effect.
We've seen a meaningful increase in our patient volume, particularly
from as mentioned, families who previously may have traveled long
distances for specialized care that we can now offer on
(17:43):
Staten Island in their own backyard. The growth has created
new opportunities for us to innovate. Ultimately, the infrastructure has
allowed us to reimagine what comprehensive family center oncology care
looks like. And I like to say, finally, the facad
matches the beauty, the heart and the brains of our
(18:04):
care team. So we're pretty on the outside now as
well as as well as giving everything that the patient
needs for comprehensive care.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
That's awesome. I know you mentioned one of the advantages
also having Staten Island residents get to stay on the island,
and I know Staten Island has some of the highest
cancer rates in New York City. What is your long
term vision for improving outcomes and access to care in
this community, particularly the underserved populations.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I agree, access access, access right.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
So we have to get to the patients where they
are right, not just putting up our sign and saying, oh,
come to us, right, we have to get to them.
So right now, with our Community Events Department, we are
able to go out to different communities and we have
table and events. We partner with some of the companies
(18:57):
in town, so when something's happening, we'll go there, We'll
go to churches and basically create awareness around everything that
NOTE was able to offer in the island. Screening screening, screening, right,
there's nothing like catching a cancer early, taking care of
it early so that we don't end up having to
have complex treatments for that cancer. There are a few
(19:21):
things you know that you can't catch with screening, but
a lot of them you can, right, So things like
breast cancer. Right, we have the mammogram, we've got the
ultrasound cervical cancer, we've got vaccines that you can start
doing at an early age. But even if you didn't
get the vaccines, there's no reason why we can't get
(19:42):
a perhaps mare.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Right.
Speaker 5 (19:44):
And you can catch these things early before they turn
into cancer. Colon cancer right. So we're seeing colon cancer
diagnoses in younger and younger patients. Right, So we can
do a colonoscopy and then depending on your risk level,
you'll follow up accordingly. But if we can catch these
things early, partner with the community, then we can get
(20:07):
them in in a timely manner, offer timely cancel care
and then timely follow.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Up care as well anything else even on us sure.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
So again I will echo that access to care is
very very important. I want every child, no matter there
are zip code, to have access to the most advanced treatments.
We are working toward enrolling pediatric patients across Staten Island
on clinical trials, which is something new for Staten Island
and we would be the only site available on Staten
Island offering clinical trials for pediatric oncology.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
So that's really exciting for us.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Everything that we have learned and used working in Manhattan
in the past, we are bringing to the patients of
Staten Island making.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Sure that that access is local.
Speaker 4 (20:52):
We want to ensure that top quality care is available locally,
and I want to emphasize that we really have succeeded
in bringing the comprehension of cancer care closer to home.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
And also I.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Want to say that we continue to partner with families
in a way that honors their lived experience, because everybody
is different and we individualize care in that way. So
ultimately my vision is that every child diagnosed with cancer
in our region receives not only world class care, but
care that feels personal, individualized, accessible and equitable, and that's
(21:28):
how we'll improve outcomes going forward.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
It's such a nice burden to take off of the
patients and their families to have you guys so close
to home and have all that amazing technology and cutting edge.
That's great. Doctor Mindeu. I know you're the chair of
the Radiation Medicine. How are you shaping moving forward the
department's strategy to prepare for the next generation of in
collegists to deliver and continue that cutting edge and compassionate care.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
I have to say I'm a little jealous of the
new generation. When we trained technology, it was not this good, right,
it was not this.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Good, you know.
Speaker 5 (22:04):
But luckily for all of us humans, technology has improved, right,
So there's so many things that we can do, we
can modify to sort of make that experience for the
patient better. So let's pick breast cancer. You know, typically
and some people still do it now, but I can
tell you in our department, we are tattoo lists, right.
(22:26):
So that means when a patient comes in for their
planning session back in the day, you get the ink,
get you have a couple of marks on your skin,
and there's always a constant reminder when that woman looks
in the mirror of their breast cancer treatment, their breast
cancer radiation pathway, we're tattoo lists, right, So now we
use sort of the skin control in for a red light,
(22:47):
and we're tracking motion of the body, and that's how
we're making sure the patient is in the right position
every time. That way, you can come in and get
your radiation treatment for the breast and go home and
I don't have to remind you every day that you
have breast radiation, things like protecting the heart when you
do radiation, things like adaptive radiotherapy, meaning we can on
(23:10):
the fly redo a cat scan, replan the radiation. Let's say,
if we're head and neck cancer patient who's got bulky
node and then they're getting chema, they getting radiation and
it's getting smaller, I can on the fly adapt my
radiation therapy.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Plan to what it looks like now.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
So this is exciting technology for all of our trainees,
all of our young attendings. And we're working on getting
one of those machines that's thattn Island and it'll.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Be great for the community.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
That way, we're able to offer the latest and greatest
to our community.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
That's awesome, exciting stuff. Yes, yes, doctor Romano Sakis, your
leadership and research and facility development play a key role
in advancing pediatric care. How do you strategically prioritize innovation,
education and mentorship across these programs.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
That's a great question. There's not enough hours in the day.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
But I will say that I view all of these
not really as separate goals, but as our interconnected responsibilities
in how we shape the care for children and our families.
So in terms of education, I prioritize that by making
sure that our trainees are not just learning the science
of pediatric cancer, but also the human side, because that's
(24:23):
so important. How to communicate with families, how to lead
with empathy, and how to advocate for patients. Those are
really important skills that they have to learn, and we
want our future doctors to be healers, to be scientists
and listeners all at the same time.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
On the innovation front, we try and foster a culture
of curiosity. With every challenge, there's an opportunity we can ask,
you know, how can we do better? How can we
improve the lives and care of our patients? And we're
constantly looking for ways to move the field forward, and
we involve our trainees in every step in that process
because we want them to learn to think creatively and
(25:00):
critically from the start. And lastly, the mentorship piece of it.
I think that's the thread that holds everything together. I
believe strongly in investing in people, guiding them through not
only their clinical work or research projects, but through growth
as leaders, colleagues, and caregivers.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Those are all really important. We've built formal mentorship structures
and programs in place to ensure that no one is
left navigating this journey alone, which is really important. So
at the end of the day, I think when you
think about the education, the innovation, the mentorship, it's all
about building a better future for our patients.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
When we support our teams to learn.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
To question, and to grow, that's when we give our
children on families the very best care that we can
and it leads to growth for the future.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Absolutely, you both both seem to be doing an incredible
job of passing it forward and getting the next generation
the chapter ready to take over to it.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
So that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Both of you guys lead in college and I know,
especially during times there could be rapid change and things
could be very demanding. And we've talked there's not enough
hours in the day a lot of the times, right,
What has been each of your greatest leadership challenges and
how did you navigate.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Those time.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
It's you know, not enough hours, not enough hours and
finding a way to sort of balance at Oh, there's
no balance, right, It's just something wins one day. Yeah,
something wins one day and then the next day something
else wins. But in the end you sort of have
to keep your focus from the goal. You know, we
have to deal with clinical care and then leadership.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I just came back from Washington, d C. Last week.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
We were at Capitol Hill advocating for cancer patients, clinical research,
payment reforms, and you know, prior authorizations. Sometimes patients their care,
the cancer care is delayed because I'm waiting for insurance
company to say yes because there's prioritization. So all of
those things, some of them are under our control, some
(27:09):
of them are not right. So for something like that,
you have to go to Congress and beg them to
make sure that this is forefront right. Because the care
of the patient depends on what the government does, depends
on what insurance companies do, and what the hospitals do
as well. And we believe that the patient, you know,
should really be the center of all of our focus.
(27:32):
So trying to find time to do it all is difficult,
I have to say. But in the end, you know,
we make it work, right, you know, one day at
a time.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Right.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
So that was a great answer, But I want to
bring us back to a specific point in time. You know,
something that we may all remember, the COVID nineteen pandemics.
So I think that was one of the greatest leadership
challenges that I faced was leading the team through the pandemic.
In pediatric oncology, where care is really complex, continuity is
(28:08):
really critical.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
The disruption was.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
Really immediate, really personal, and that was and it affected patients,
it affected families, and it affected staff all across the board.
We had to make so many rapid decisions about how
to deliver safe, high quality care with limited information. They
were evolving guidelines and very real fears. Families were very anxious.
(28:32):
Staff were also anxious, but also stretched very thin. And
yet the one thing that didn't pause was cancer didn't pause.
We didn't get a break from cancer during that time period.
So I navigated that by focusing on my three c's, communication, compassion,
and clarity. So I made it a point to ensure
(28:52):
that my team was well informed even when answers were
still evolving and we didn't know the final answer yet.
Frequent meetings, we encouraged open discussion, and it was really
important that we validated the emotional toll that the pandemic
was taking on everyone's staff and patients and families alike.
We also had to rethink what patient centered care looked
(29:16):
like at that point. So that meant at that point
expanding telehealth, reworking or treatment protocols, being incredibly intentional about
what service has had to remain in person, all while
protecting what I consider our most vulnerable population.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
At that time.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
So leading through COVID really taught me that in times
of crisis, people don't need just direction, They need empathy,
they need transparency, they need a leader who listens.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
And it was one of the hardest times of my.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
Career, but I truly believe that it strengthened our team,
our system, and ultimately our sense of purpose and we
came out of it much stronger than we went in.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Absolutely, So speaking of what's next, right, what's next for
stan at North Wales Staten Island University Hospital, any exciting
developments on the horizon for each of you?
Speaker 5 (30:09):
I think for the cancer center as a whole, will
continue to work on expanding what we're doing, expanding care,
expanding sites to get to where the patients are, expanding
clinical trials like I mentioned earlier, and then expanding our collaboration.
So tomorrow I'm going to Albany. Never never ends, but
(30:31):
I'll be in Albany tomorrow because I'm on the Council
for Cancer Detection, Early Detection and Screening and Cancer Prevention
for the for New York State. But those sort of
collaborative efforts in trying to make sure that we're screening
patients and then preventing cancers. Uh, we we get some
funding from the state to be able to do that
(30:54):
for cancer patients on Staten Island, you know. So continuing
the community outreach, clinical trials and expanding our care it's
really exciting.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
Yeah, so very similar in pediatrics as well. Across the board,
We've laid a great foundation and we're entering a truly
exciting chapter in our hospital for pediatric oncology, expanding access
to the cutting edge therapies as I mentioned, creating access
for the patients to enroll on clinical trials and receive
these new innovative treatments closer to home. And also to
(31:27):
continue to invest in our staff and employees through leadership development,
wellness programming, and interpersonal education, because it's really important that
we strengthen our team from within in order to continue
to provide this high quality care both with the science
and the human nature of empathy. But ultimately what's next
(31:47):
for us is simple but ambitious. We want to continue
to deepen the compassion, advance the science, and extend our
greater reach. We want to continue to partner with communities,
partner with pediatricians and other healthcare providers. We're not just
expanding an on condoly, We're not just expanding an oncology program.
(32:09):
I think we're building a community of care where innovation
and humanity go hand in hand.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
And that's so important, very important.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
I always love asking this question, and it sounds like
you both deeply care about the next group of doctors.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
That come in.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
So if anyone is tuning in right now that's thinking
of entering the medical profession, what advice would you give them?
What advice would you give your previous self when you
were first joining the field.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
It's too many distractions, right, and the care of patients, right.
If it's not EMR, if it's whatever's happening in politics,
there's always you know, there will always be something to
distract you. But what I will tell the young ones
is stay focused, right, keep your goal your goal, and
when you need help, ask for help.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Right.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Help is always it. It's always going to be difficult.
Speaker 5 (32:59):
In fact, yeah, not everyone has unlimited resources, but every
once in a while. If you need the help, ask
for help, and help will be there.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
So I think one of the most important lessons I've
learned about empowering myself as well as the next generation,
especially in a field that's emotionally demanding like pediatric oncology,
is that the technical excellence is just not enough. We
have to support the whole person. Pediatric oncology is deeply rewarding.
(33:29):
I couldn't do it every day if it wasn't, but
it's also incredibly intense. Trainees are not just learning medicine,
they're learning how to sit with families in the hardest
moments of their lives, how to process their own emotions
in a healthy way at the same time, so it
definitely is a balance.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
I've learned that.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
Empowerment means creating environments where vulnerability is not seen as
a weakness, but it's part of the work, and I
try to model that myself as well, by being honest
about the emotional complexity of my field and by encouraging reflection,
pure support, very important and open conversations about burnout and
(34:09):
resilience to try and avoid that. I also try and
focus on helping the trainees find meaning in the work
that we do, not by teaching just the science, but
by connecting them to the why behind what we do.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
You know, when they.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
Feel valued and supported and connected to the purpose, trainees
will thrive. So ultimately my lesson is this, To truly
empower the next generation, I think we have to teach
them how to care for others without losing themselves in
the process, and that requires mentorship that is both clinically
rigorous and deeply human, which we fully support and have
(34:47):
on a continuous basis at Northwell.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
Awesome, great advice from both of you, guys. We covered
a lot. But what's one thing you want people to
take obey about your mission?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
What would that be?
Speaker 5 (35:01):
I would say, there is one life, right, we all have.
One life is limited edition take care of it, take
care of it, and we have to. In order to
do we have take care of each other. And that's
that's absolutely important. So let's help one another care for
each other. If you have a neighbor who hasn't been
(35:24):
to the doctor in twenty years, knock on their door,
bring them to us. We'll take care of them and
that's how we grow as a community.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
And health absolutely one message that I would take away
is that every child deserves not only the best science,
but the deepest compassion, and all of these things in
their own backyard, without unnecessarily unnecessary travel. My mission has
always been to bridge the two, both the science and
(35:53):
the empathy, to ensure that patients facing the unimaginable, feel seen,
feel supported and surrounded by a team that's truly relentless
in both expertise and empathy. And this is all local
for patients, so that they don't have to travel and
trade away time and quality of life, because again, there
(36:14):
is just one life right. Time is limited for all
of us, and we want to maximize the quality of
life and the moments you spend outside of the hospital,
not commuting, but truly enjoying what makes you happy. So,
whether it's advancing treatments, or mentoring the next generation, or
expanding access to care, everything we do comes back to
(36:34):
the core belief that curing cancer isn't just about the medicine.
It's about showing up for patients, showing up for children
and their families in a way that truly honors them,
truly honors their strength, and truly honors their humanity.
Speaker 5 (36:50):
Absolutely, a no bridge or ferry required for that. Stand
there you go.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
If anyone is tuning in that wants to learn more,
they want to support the work you're doing, what is
the first call to action that they should take.
Speaker 4 (37:04):
So I can just say that in cancer care and
pediatric cancer care is not something any of us can
do alone. It really takes a community. So whether you're
a healthcare professional, researcher, a parent, a policymaker, or just
simply someone who cares, there's always something you can do
to support the work. So if you're looking to get involved,
you can partner with us through philanthropy, community outreach, education.
(37:27):
We welcome all of that. Together we can truly build
a future where every child with cancer, no matter who
they are, where they live, gets the care and hope
and healing they deserve. I want to stress that everybody
can truly play a role. So you can donate blood,
You can join the registry to see if you might
be a potential match for someone who might need a transplant.
(37:50):
You can raise awareness, You can raise money to support
our patients and improve their equality of life and care.
All of these measures can be both life saving and
improving the quality of life for the patients. And beyond that,
we can advocate for equitable access to care, support, research,
mentor our next generation of compassionate clinicians, or simply, and
(38:15):
maybe most importantly, just take the time to listen to
families walking through probably what they would consider the hardest
time of their lives, or lend them a helping hand.
Compassion really goes a long way, and I think compassion
on a daily basis, your compassion matters and will matter.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
More than you know in these scenarios.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
Absolutely, to piggyback on that, there are several walks that
Northwall will host throughout the year. We have a north
Wall Walk that just happened a couple of weeks ago.
In September, we have the Lustgarten Foundation Walk. In October,
we have the Breast Cancel Walk. We have several walks
that happened throughout the year. So if you're interested, please
(38:58):
join us SIUA on Facebook, go to our website, go
on LinkedIn. I'm there always. You know social media, I
pretend I know how to do social media, but it's
it's important join us and you can find out all
of the things that we're doing.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Next week.
Speaker 5 (39:14):
I believe in June seventh, we're having our National Cancel
Survivors Day event and where we honor our patients, our
cancel patients and the caregivers. So you're welcome to join us.
It's going to be at the Hilton on Staten Island.
Free to join, but always you know, extending a hand
to other people is much appreciated.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
That's awesome, great way for the whole community to get involved.
Well it sounds like at North walest An Island University House.
But you guys are doing amazing work, so thank you
for that. Thank you both for sharing your journey, more
insights into the field and really a look ahead of
what's next. You guys do incredible work every single day,
so you should both feel extremely.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
Proud of that.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
Thank you, thank you for having us, thank you for
joining us, and thank you guys for tuning in this
week to this week's edition of CUS No tune in
next week.
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