When imaging after a head-on collision in June 2020 revealed Bob Washburn had a lung nodule, doctors told him and his wife Robyn not to worry. Watching for any changes over time would be enough to keep the growth under control. But nothing related to health or health care during the COVID-19 pandemic was that simple.
In the coming months, both Bob and Robyn developed long COVID. As Robyn recovered, Bob’s breathing worsened and congestive heart failure appeared. His health quickly deteriorated, but it was very difficult to get the necessary care for these new problems. And concerns about the lung nodule fell by the wayside.
After more than a year of health struggles, a biopsy and genetic testing finally revealed Bob’s nodule was stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer with ALK rearrangement, a specific genetic mutation. Armed with this new knowledge, Bob and Robyn sought a second opinion from an oncologist with specialized expertise in ALK-positive lung cancer.
A Chance Meeting After a Delayed Diagnosis
The couple found the specialized expertise they were seeking during a chance meeting at a GO2 for Lung Cancer 5K Walk/Run. There they met City of Hope oncologist Ravi Salgia, M.D., Ph.D, a physician researcher with experience treating ALK-induced lung cancer.
“We had been looking for an ALK expert, and we just happened to meet Dr. Salgia. The connection was meant to be,” Bob says. “We could tell he’s someone who does what he does because it’s about families. It’s about his patients. It’s about understanding. He really cares about you.”
What began as a second opinion soon became much more. Dr. Salgia pursued additional molecular testing that revealed a complex ALK alteration that had not previously been identified, providing a more complete understanding of Bob’s cancer. That deeper level of expertise, combined with City of Hope’s comprehensive and personalized approach to his care, gave Bob and Robyn the confidence to make City of Hope their medical home — what they now consider their “home away from home.”
Bob says Dr. Salgia delivered comprehensive, personalized care from his earliest appointments in December, 2021. With this more detailed molecular picture, Dr. Salgia and his team were able to provide highly specialized guidance for Bob’s ALK-positive lung cancer. Bob continued treatment with alectinib, an oral targeted therapy, and within weeks his breathing improved and his energy began to return.
But Dr. Salgia didn’t just treat Bob’s lung nodule. He focused on Bob’s overall health and physical condition.
“During one of my first appointments, he looked me over head-to-toe. He was concerned about potential blood clots because I had larger veins in one leg,” Bob says. “He wouldn’t let me leave without having an ultrasound that day. That’s the level of detail he took.”
Today, Bob continues to take alectinib daily and has scans every three months. But thanks to Dr. Salgia’s intervention, he has no evidence of disease and is back to his active life.
A Welcoming, Supportive Environment
Once Bob came to City of Hope for cancer treatment, the rest of his care fell into place. He says he never feels like a faceless patient when he and Robyn arrive at the Duarte campus for his appointments. Instead, City of Hope providers, with Dr. Salgia at the helm, consistently work together to meet all his health needs.
“A lot of times, I feel like doctors tell you what to do and what should happen. But at City of Hope, they care about what’s going on with me and my family,” he says. “Dr. Salgia always wants to have collaborative conversations. He introduces City of Hope’s resources and makes me feel comfortable expressing my thoughts and wishes for my treatment.”
As a result, Bob says he consistently receives coordinated, comprehensive care. To make his care as convenient as possible, City of Hope schedules his oncology, pulmonology, cardiology and nutrition visits on the same day. Appointment days are long, he says. But that streamlined access to high-quality care and resources is comforting.
Bob has a message for others who may find themselves or a loved one on a cancer journey: “If you’re looking for a medical home where people make you feel cared for and looked after, you’ll find it at City of Hope,” he says. “There are so many things City of Hope has to offer. It’s not just about diagnosis. It’s about the fact that they care and aren’t too busy to make you feel supported.”
A New Beginning Fueled by Philanthropy
Five years after beginning treatment with alectinib, Bob and Robyn continue their active lives. They travel, spend time with a growing family that now includes several grandchildren and embrace new professional opportunities.
They credit Dr. Salgia and his colleagues for the leading-edge care that returned Bob’s health. But they recognize that research, powered by generous donors, is the engine behind City of Hope’s clinical prowess.
“City of Hope is a research center, and research is power. We can’t emphasize the importance of that enough,” Bob says. Despite the challenges cancer poses he believes philanthropy can play a role in accelerating investigative efforts into new therapies and medications. “A lot more younger people are getting these diseases. We need more solutions sooner. And, with this hospital, the name captures everything. At City of Hope, these successes are possible.”
