I am in Korcula, Croatia sailing on a 42’ boat with 3 other couples.
We are sitting knee to knee in the stern cockpit.
We start exchanging pleasantries, stories, histories, etc. with the lovely couple whose knees I am touching.
Where are you from? Los Angeles they say….more banter, exchanges, laughter….
They ask, what was your business? Us: Real Estate and you?
She says oh he is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
I, of course, share my cancer journey.
He says, I’m pretty sure I treated you.
After he removed his hat and sunglasses I shout Dr. Steinberg!!!!! And of course jump up and startle him with my big Texas hug.
This man treated me in LA 25 years ago when I was a devastated 32 year old young woman diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma thinking I only had a short time to live. He reassured me that wasn’t the case.
25 years later I have now had the pleasure of meeting his beautiful wife Eve, sharing stories and drinking wine together. Ironic because when I was going through the radiation I couldn’t drink wine.
I am having such a hard time calling him Mike, he was always Dr. Steinberg to me.
Highlight of my trip. Xo

Tags: Cancer, Dr. Steinberg, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, patient stories, radiation oncology, Radiation Oncology