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Media Relations: Mercy News Archive

(Left to right) Surgical oncologists Drs. Vadim Gushchin and Armando Sardi of the Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy were among those on hand at the recent reunion of cancer patients held at the downtown hospital to raise awareness regarding treatment for peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Dr. Armando Sardi, Director, The Institute For Cancer Care, Meets With Cancer Patients To Raise Awareness, Funds For Research

A special meeting of Dr. Armando Sardi’s patients, their families and friends gathered recently in the Truman Semans Room at the Weinberg Center for Women’s Health and Medicine at Mercy to discuss the difficulties patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (originating from tumors of the appendix, colon, rectum, ovary, stomach, small bowel, sarcomas, primary peritoneal and mesothelioma) face in finding knowledgeable doctors and paying for care. Dr. Sardi is Director of the Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy Medical Center and a nationally noted expert in the treatment of appendix and related abdominal cancers, using HIPEC, or Hyperthermic Intraoperative Peritoneal Chemotherapy.

The meeting also served to help educate attendees about peritoneal carcinomatosis awareness activities nationwide and as a brainstorming session on how best to raise awareness and raise funds for research conducted by Dr. Sardi at the Institute.

Guest speakers include Laurie Todd, a recent appendix cancer survivor and author of the book Fight Your Health Insurer and Win: Secrets of the Insurance Warrior, who flew in from Seattle, WA to address the gathering. Diagnosed in 2005 with appendix cancer, Todd worked tirelessly to appeal her insurer’s decision not to pay for treatment they deemed experimental (HIPEC and cytoreduction surgery). Todd ultimately succeeded in . in getting her insurer to fully cover her lifesaving treatment, and began assisting others in their appeals.

Other topics of discussion included studies conducted by Dr. Sardi and his colleagues at the Institute, papers published in respected medical journals, presentations given and national and international conferences, etc., revealing the efficacy of the HIPEC/cytoreduction surgery treatment.

Dr. Armando Sardi speaks with some of the guests at the cancer patient reunion, held in the Weinberg Center at Mercy.

According to Dr. Sardi, it is Mercy’s hope to raise $100,000 per year in funds to sustain a full-time peritoneal carcinomatosis research program the Institute which will cover costs of a research coordinator, equipment, supplies, and communication efforts to “spread the word internationally about advances in the diagnosis and treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis,” Dr. Sardi said.

Mercy representatives reported that the hospital has already raised $150,000 for research at the Institute, coming from grateful patients, families, and friends; through special fundraisers like golf tournaments and special events, and by donations from medical and pharmaceutical companies.

In addition, it was announced that a volunteer steering committee would convene to help determine what awareness/fundraising event(s) Mercy may hold, how best to recruit volunteers and to ensure the event is planned and implemented by the fall of this year.

Dr. Sardi and two of his cancer patients were interviewed recently by WMAR-TV2 health reporter Linda So for a story which aired on the network in January 2010, please click this link to see the segment: http://www.abc2news.com/content/gmm/story/New-Weapon-Against-Cancer/K4dr4hlww0CqHWzGGOYYkQ.cspx