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Baseball Hall of Famer: Physician’s confidence affects patients
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Mike Schmidt, whose success during his 17-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies earned him induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, received a stage III melanoma diagnosis 4 years ago.
Schmidt credits oncologists at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center — who developed the treatment plan that eradicated his disease — as well as his faith and the support he received from family and friends for helping him endure his treatment journey and emerge cancer free.
In this video, Schmidt recounts a story about a visit he had with Kevin Oh, MD, a radiation oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. The consultation occurred after Schmidt learned his melanoma had spread to his brain.
“Doctors can talk about cancer in your lymph nodes or your lungs, but when they start talking about cancer in your brain, that takes it to a different level in terms of being scared,” Schmidt told HemOnc Today. “Dr. Oh slid a little rolling stool over in front of me. He looked me in the eye and he said, ‘Mike, you have nothing to worry about. I’m going to take care of your brain.’
“I could have left there thinking, ‘I’m going to have radiation in my brain’ and ‘God, I hope this works,’ and it could have been a scary drive home in total silence,” Schmidt added. “Instead, I left upbeat. I said to my wife, ‘Do you believe he looked me in the eye and said he’s going to take care of my brain?’ That is an example of how a doctor’s confidence can affect one of their patients.”
Now cancer free, Schmidt has joined Your Cancer Game Plan, a Merck-led awareness campaign designed to help people with cancer and their loved ones cope with their health, emotional and communication needs.
For more information about Your Cancer Game Plan, go to your http://www.yourcancergameplan.com. – by Mark Leiser and Kristie L. Kahl