Every day at work, Doreen Therien, a scheduler at HHA Home Care and Hospice for Ocean University Medical Center, helps to connect patients with the home health and hospice care they need. But when she received a diagnosis of Stage II rectal cancer, Doreen, 54, of Brick, New Jersey, found herself suddenly navigating her own health care journey.

“In 2022, I was having some issues with my bowels, so I went for a colonoscopy and ended up receiving a rectal cancer diagnosis,” says Doreen.

Doreen’s gastroenterologist referred her to medical oncologist David Greenberg, M.D., at Ocean University Medical Center — which is located five minutes from Doreen’s home.

“When I first met Doreen, I knew we were going to approach her treatment with the intent of delivering a cure,” says Dr. Greenberg. “We followed the standard-of-care treatment for her cancer type and stage, which included oral chemotherapy and radiation to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery and three to fourth additional months of intravenous chemotherapy to treat any remaining disease.”

Doreen also met Nurse Navigator Meghan Megill, who helped Doreen by scheduling appointments, answering questions, and coordinating her care.

“Dr. Greenberg provided A to Z care throughout my entire journey, and it was 150 percent the care I needed,” says Doreen. “Meghan was also instrumental in supporting me every step of the way.”

Maintaining a Positive Mindset

Doreen started her treatment with six weeks of oral chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy under the supervision of Ocean University Medical Center radiation oncologist Prashant Desai, M.D. — and through both treatments, Doreen continued to work.

“I wanted to work as long as I could before surgery, because I wanted to positively impact our patients’ lives the way my care team was positively impacting mine,” says Doreen.

With her chemotherapy and radiation complete, Doreen learned that her tumor had shrunk as expected. 

On August 19, 2022, colorectal surgeon Glenn Parker, M.D., performed surgery at Jersey Shore University Medical Center to remove the diseased portion of her rectum. Dr. Parker also performed a temporary ileostomy, a reversible procedure that allowed Doreen’s bowel to rest and heal after surgery.

Dr. Parker removed 23 lymph nodes during Doreen’s surgery, and she was happy to learn that they all tested negative for cancer.

Doreen was sent home from surgery with a wound vac, which provided an optimal sterile environment that would allow her open incision to heal — and the Hackensack Meridian home health team was there to provide the care she needed.

“I had home health wound care nurse Mary Cohen come three times a week for 14 weeks,” says Doreen. “Mary trained and educated me on how to perform my own wound care and was pivotal in my recovery.”

Caring for Patients ‘Like Family’

After she recovered from surgery, Doreen returned to the Infusion Center at Ocean University Medical Center for intravenous chemotherapy.

“I can’t say enough good things about the cancer care team — everyone was so genuinely kind,” says Doreen. “I was lucky that my cancer was found early, and that I was surrounded by people who were optimistic, supportive, and able to care for me — at home and at the hospital.”

In October, Doreen was diagnosed with sepsis and spent one week at Ocean University Medical Center.

Although Doreen’s infection caused a one-month delay in her treatment, she says she got through it with the encouragement of her care team — and by staying positive and focusing on what she could control.

And when she rang her bell after finishing her final chemotherapy treatment, she was surrounded by the physicians, nurses, support staff, and family members who cared for her.

“Doreen has been an inspiration to our entire team, and I am honored that she trusted us to provide her with the latest multidisciplinary care close to where she lives and works,” says Dr. Greenberg. “Speaking up about concerning bowel symptoms — especially in younger people — and receiving routine colonoscopies increases the chances of early colorectal cancer diagnosis and successful treatment.”

Doreen completed her final stage of her treatment — a second surgery performed by Dr. Parker at Jersey Shore University Medical Center to reverse her ileostomy, in May 2023. She is eating right and taking life at a slower pace so she can focus on spending time with her husband, Gary, her stepdaughter and stepson, her two grandchildren, her mom, and her extended family.

Doreen also has routine screenings that look for signs of cancer recurrence in her blood — and as more time passes with no signs of cancer, her risk of recurrence will decrease.

“The team at Ocean University Medical Center took care of me like family, and I was put exactly where I was meant to be for my treatment,” says Doreen. “Now I have so much empathy for the people I talk to at work, and I want to make a difference for them because my team made a difference for me.”

Next Steps and Resources

• Meet our sources: David Greenberg, M.D., Prashant Desai, M.D.and Glenn Parker, M.D.,
• Find out if you’re at risk for colorectal cancer by taking a Colon Cancer Risk Assessment. 
• Find a primary care physician and schedule routine cancer screenings today. 

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.