At the age of 16, Benjamin Heyman M.D., was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and treated by a particularly kind and wise New York City pediatric oncologist.
“My doctor modeled patience and compassion in his clinical care,” says Heyman, a hematologist and associate clinical professor specializing in lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia at City of Hope Orange County Cancer Specialty Hospital. “He inspired trust. He was absolutely someone who would take care of you and be by your side.”
After successfully undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, Heyman’s cancer went into remission. “I was lucky that I had a very curable lymphoma,” says Heyman, now age 41.
Heyman’s survivorship journey was a defining period in his life. “I knew I wanted to spend my life-giving back to patients; to walk with them and care for them through their own cancer experience,” he says. Today, Heyman seeks to emulate the oncologist who cared for him, pairing clinical expertise with empathy. At the first visit, that often means helping patients navigate a wide range of emotions.
“A lot goes through patients’ minds, and it can feel overwhelming to face all at once,” says Heyman. “What helps is recognizing that those feelings are normal, and then focusing on the tasks at hand. First, understanding what we know, and then sitting down to talk about what we need to do next. This approach can help patients ground themselves, absorb this profound change in their lives, and take it one step at a time.”
Heyman also helps patients regain a sense of control by offering knowledge and education. “Lymphomas can vary widely,” Heyman says. “Just as cancer isn’t a single disease, neither is lymphoma. Some lymphomas are aggressive, and some are indolent. Patients with aggressive lymphomas can become very sick, very quickly. Patients with indolent lymphomas may be able to manage their disease with a ‘watchful waiting’ approach.”
Encouragingly, the outlook for lymphoma is improving as advances in research lead to innovative treatments, including targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and CAR T cell therapy.
Heyman has served as a principal investigator in numerous clinical trials and is passionate about advancing City of Hope’s hematology breakthroughs. “Our Orange County hospital allows us to provide stem cell transplants and CAR T cell therapy to more complex patients in addition to the treatments we currently provide at our outpatient cancer center. Together, our academic cancer campus and regional clinics form Orange County’s largest and most advanced cancer care network. The access to specialized expertise and research we offer hematology patients is difficult to find elsewhere.”
Heyman doesn’t typically share his personal cancer experience with patients unless they ask. Instead, he focuses on providing the same exceptional care he once received. “I carry a commitment to meet patients at their life changing moment, to truly understand where they are in their lives and to care for their individual needs at a level that only a nationally ranked cancer research and treatment organization can provide. That’s what delivering hope and healing looks like at City of Hope.”
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City of Hope Orange County leads lifesaving immunotherapy research and treatment for hematologic cancers
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