HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The world changed again when Caroline Huff heard the words, \u201cYou have cancer,\u201d for a second time.<\/p>\n
What she suspected to be pain from appendicitis turned out to be a large tumor \u2013 along with loads of doctor visits came pain and uncertainty.<\/p>\n
On top of that, her oncologist had recently passed away.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when Dr. Shane Morita stepped in.<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Huff had what\u2019s called a gastrointestinal stromal tumor,\u201d Morita said. \u201cIt arose from the stomach, from the wall of it. Many stomach cancers grow from the inside. This grew from the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n
One choice changed everything<\/p>\n
Dr. Morita ordered new scans and a genetic test, but a couple of weeks later, Huff woke up to excruciating pain.<\/p>\n
Her husband, HNN political and government reporter Daryl Huff, rushed her to the emergency room, where they found out the tumor had grown and was bleeding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll also never forget when I was suffering in the emergency room after midnight, and you showed up in your scrubs and surgical glasses,\u201d Caroline Huff told Morita. \u201cWhen another doctor might have done emergency surgery on me, you said, \u2018Let\u2019s wait until we have more information.\u2019 That was the decision that made all the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morita said they should hold off on surgery until they had results of a PET scan.<\/p>\n
But when the scan came back, it was not reassuring. The cancer in the scan looked like a car headlight with other bright spots around it.<\/p>\n
Morita explained that the cancer was too advanced for surgery, but based on the genetic test, there was a drug that showed promise. He also said they should pray.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were able to get a good response,\u201d Morita said. \u201cThere with some shrinkage, and it also just gave us an opportunity to let her heal.\u201d<\/p>\n
The medicine worked, killing the metabolic activity of the cancer. The headlights had gone dark. The tumor had shrunk enough that surgery didn\u2019t require removing her entire stomach.<\/p>\n
Healthcare Hero from Hawaii Island<\/p>\n
Huff nominated Morita as a Hawaii Healthcare Hero. Hers was one of many stories from patients under his care.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just knew what to do,\u201d Huff said. \u201cI was just in shock, like, just trying to figure out this alphabet soup of medical acronyms. Thank God my husband was there to help me figure things out, help me understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Huff said she most appreciated being treated like a human being and not just a number.<\/p>\n
Morita grew up in Waiakea on Hawaii Island. His father died from cancer at Queen\u2019s Medical Center, and his mother was treated for Alzheimer\u2019s at Queen\u2019s.<\/p>\n
He met his wife in medical school at the University of Hawaii.<\/p>\n
Morita says he loves being able to work in and serve the community he calls home.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just have great, great resources here in Hawaii,\u201d Morita said. \u201cJust know that you can get your care here and have great outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n
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