I Chose Charleston Oncology

At 33 years old I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My husband and I quickly began researching doctors in the area and within a matter of days had a team to help lead the way. Upon meeting Dr. Ellison for the first time I was terrified of any bad news he could possibly give. He took the time to explain my pathology reports and go over a treatment plan that he thought would be best for my scenario. I left his office that day feeling much better than when I'd gone in, and have felt that way each visit since. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy and will be starting chemotherapy in two weeks. We've had numerous calls and visits with Dr. Ellison since my surgery to ask questions (we have done our fair share of research) and he always takes the time to listen to us and give his thoughts. I am a worrier at heart, so having an oncologist who is extremely well educated yet is also able to explain things in a way that puts my mind at ease is extremely important to me. It is my understanding that current evidence of disease or not, I will be under Dr. Ellison's care for a long time and my husband and I are grateful for his expertise and care. 

I first met Dr. Ellison in December 2019 as a 36-year-old female who had just been diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Upon meeting Dr. Ellison I felt that he truly had my well being in mind when explaining just what my diagnosis meant for not only myself but also my husband. He took the time to answer all of our questions and to explain the treatment plan to us in terms we could understand. I was a candidate for a drug that had just begun being used for my type of breast cancer and Dr. Ellison was able to start me on this drug, which I had a 100% response to. After my bilateral mastectomy in April 2020 I began my four rounds of chemotherapy. As if fighting cancer was not enough there was also a pandemic so it would have been easy to feel as if you were in this fight alone but Dr. Ellison and the sweet and caring nurses in the chemo room became family. I just completed my last round of chemo on July 29, 2020. Dr. Ellison and his wonderful team assisted me in being cancer free. I truly can't thank Dr. Ellison enough for the great care that I have received and will continue to receive at Charleston Oncology. 

I was diagnosed with Stage II, Triple Negative Breast Cancer in March 2020. In the month of March, COVID-19 was officially classified as a global pandemic. The pandemic's uncertainty impacted all of us; we all had to develop a "new normal." Precautionary measures were set at Charleston Oncology to protect the patients with weaken immune systems. As a result, new or current patients could not have love ones to accompany them; that alone was devastating. However, my initial appointment with Dr. Michaelsen was comfortable. He allowed face-time communication with my anxious family as he delivered my prognosis and walked us through my next steps. Dr. Michaelsen took the time to answer our questions and concerns. At that moment, I realized my life was not going to be the same, and my "new normal" was unfolding. For example, my destination wedding would be postponed, my hair loss was inevitable, and I would have to go through grueling chemotherapy rounds by myself. I quickly realized this journey would be a marathon and not a sprint. Although I did not choose cancer, I am glad I chose Charleston Oncology! Dr. Michaelsen and the Charleston Oncology staff have proven to be my Allstar Team and for that, I am grateful.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September of 2018. It was a scary stressful time. I work full time as a nurse. I am in my 40’s and I have 4 young children at home. This was a complete shock for myself and my family. Dr. Saylors sat across from me at that first meeting and gave me the information I needed to start fighting and stay hopeful. She and her team have stood by me through this. They have been educators, friends and medical providers. They have sat with me while I cried in fear and they listened to my panicked husband when my pain was not controlled. The chemo nurses and the front desk staff- everyone made this a little more bearable. And now, on the other side of chemotherapy, they continue to be there- when I get scared and need reassurance or when I get to celebrate- they are still right along side me through this journey.

Dr. Saylors is so caring and awesome! Going through cancer is just overwhelming. She takes her time and makes sure you understand the diagnosis and the treatment process. Dr. Saylors allows you to ask questions, even if you ask the same question multiple times. She and her staff made such a shocking diagnosis acceptable and manageable. She was a Godsend to me. I feel very fortunate to have her as my oncologist.

It has been eight years since we started our journey together. From our first meeting I knew I was going to be in good hands. Dr. Holladay took time to show and explain to me what my treatment and plan of attack would be for my breast cancer. Dr. Holladay took time to explain how long it would take and all the side effects of chemo and what could be done to help offset or soften the side effects. There were no surprises and Dr. Holladay and his entire TEAM made it as enjoyable of a fight it could be with supporting me and my family during that time. Having Dr. Holladay and his team on my side to fight my cancer was a pleasure. I appreciate Dr. Holladay and would vote for him to be Man of the Year, he is truly, in my opinion the BEST doctor and I Thank him for helping me during a difficult time.

God Bless Dr. Holladay—and Thank You!

From the time I was first diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 2008, I knew I had an uphill battle ahead of me... so I prayed... hard. I asked God, not only to hold my hand through whatever lay ahead, but to send me to "His Instruments of Healing"; hand-picked physicians by Him. 

Twelve years later, God is still holding my hand and I am with the right oncologist at the right time. Dr. Ashley Jeter! We discovered a few visits in that I was close friends with her mother-in-law, a teacher at my school, and I had taught her husband Will, and both his siblings social studies in the eighth grade. 

As Dr. Jeter explained her plan of action to me, there were many more tests included than I was used to, which made me feel initially uncomfortable, but she told me after getting the initial tests results that we would work out a compromise (and we have) concerning the timing of tests and the number of them. She was and continues to be open to new ideas from her patients. 

My first surgeon told me I probably had three years of longevity based on his expertise... that was 12 years ago. :) Only God knows when the end will come for me, and He has given me the wonderful gift of time to see all my children married, five grandchildren, and five grand-dogs! How blessed I am! 

I conclude with an epiphany I have come to understand during my cancer journey - that we, too often, wait in anticipation for a miracle to happen in our lives; unaware that the miracle is actually life itself. Dr. Jeter is helping my miracle continue to bloom. 

With utmost appreciation, respect & love, 

Becky Dingle

They are my favorite, I have a history with them already, with my family members; my mom and two of my sisters. I also had experience with them on the nursing side. I was a hospice nurse, so I really learned a lot about them from both of those experiences. I trust them, I know that they know all the traditional treatments for breast cancer, but I also know that they’re very experienced in newer therapies, target therapies, so I know that there are a lot of options that they’re aware of out there for treatment. Should one not work, there’s another, if you choose to go on. I know that I can trust my Doc to tell me what we’re doing, how we’re doing. I’m very involved, I look at every test and look at all my lab work; we go over it together so that we know where we are and what we’re doing. I really do trust them.

I probably scare people a little bit because my first diagnosis with breast cancer was in 2001, and I went through a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Then I did five years of hormone therapy, and thought we were pretty clear until last year. Last year, 2019, I started having trouble with my back and being a nurse I always thought “well, you know we all have trouble with our backs. Lifting, pulling, shoving, and turning” and this was a little bit different because it was not my low back, it was mid-back.

We did a bone scan and unfortunately that showed that there were some good spots; my spine, my skull, my ribs, pelvic area. I had a pretty large amount of metastases from the cancer. I went straight to Dr. Keogh and didn’t think twice about it. We started this newest journey now, and we started round three and I’m doing very good. Continuing on.

Why I chose Charleston Oncology is because I know the care that they gave my family members. Professionally, I know how good they are. I know that they’re very experienced, not only in traditional therapies, but in the newer therapies, target therapies, and immunotherapies. And I know that they’re always going to look at options to help treat this disease.