{"id":2322,"date":"2025-05-30T21:17:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T21:17:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thewisdomstudy.org\/?p=2322"},"modified":"2025-06-12T21:36:30","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T21:36:30","slug":"how-an-obgyn-discovered-her-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thewisdomstudy.org\/how-an-obgyn-discovered-her-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Turning Insight into Action: An OBGYN\u2019s Journey Through the WISDOM Study"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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An Interview with Dr. Heidi Arbona, OBGYN & WISDOM Study Participant<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fCan you tell me a little about yourself?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fSure! I’m 53 years old and an OBGYN. Over the years, as both I and my patients have aged, I’ve developed a deep interest in perimenopause and menopause care. Surprisingly, I didn\u2019t learn much about this in med school or residency, so I did a deep dive into menopausal medicine. I even attended the Menopause Society conference in Chicago last year. That\u2019s where I first learned about the WISDOM Study.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fHow did you get involved with WISDOM?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fAfter learning about the study at the conference, I was intrigued. I contacted my office manager and asked her to feature it on my clinic’s website. Then I enrolled myself. I’ve referred many patients to WISDOM since then and have it prominently displayed on our homepage at Northside Women\u2019s Health in Westerville, Ohio.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fWhat was your experience like as a participant?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fIt was eye-opening. I had been getting annual mammograms and ultrasounds due to my dense breast tissue, and everything had always been normal. Through WISDOM, I found out I had a CHEK2 mutation. A genetic counselor from the study reached out to me and spent nearly 30 minutes on the phone explaining everything clearly and compassionately. She reviewed my family history, walked me through the implications of the mutation, and emphasized the importance of breast density and lifestyle factors. She recommended that I meet with a genetic counselor in person and also consult with a breast surgeon.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fWhat happened next?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fI followed through and met with a hospital-based genetic counselor, who offered me additional RNA testing. She explained that while it was unlikely to yield new information for my specific case, it could benefit family members by making future testing for them more accessible and affordable. That was something I hadn\u2019t known as a physician. After that, I met with a breast surgeon, who recommended switching from automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) to an MRI due to my extremely dense breast tissue and genetic mutation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/span>Initially, the cost of a traditional MRI was daunting\u2014about $1,700. But I learned our hospital offered a self-pay abbreviated breast MRI for around $300. My breast surgeon and even my husband, who is a radiologist specializing in mammography, agreed that this imaging was excellent for screening purposes. That imaging revealed abnormalities that required further investigation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fThat must have been difficult to hear.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fIt was, but I was able to get a biopsy quickly that revealed DCIS.\u00a0 My surgeon offered a lumpectomy with radiation or mastectomy, or bilateral mastectomy given the mutation, my extremely dense breast tissue, and the chance that I could someday develop abnormalities in the other breast. I ultimately chose to have a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction and I’m grateful I did. My pathology report showed additional concerning areas in both breasts, including Grade 3 DCIS and multiple areas of atypical hyperplasia in my \u201cnormal\u2019 breast. Unfortunately, I needed a second surgery to address a positive margin in my affected breast.\u00a0 My final pathology demonstrated negative margins.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fHow are you doing now?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fI’m recovering well. I’m four weeks out from my second surgery, cleared for exercise, and feeling more like myself. I’m grateful for how quickly everything moved once I was in the system\u2014from testing to imaging to surgery. I truly believe that being part of WISDOM helped me catch this early and avoid more aggressive treatments.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fHas WISDOM impacted how you talk to your patients about risk?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fDefinitely. I already focused on breast density and lifestyle factors, but now I speak more about personalized risk. I refer many patients to the study. It\u2019s accessible and offers meaningful information that can change lives.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fWhat would you say to someone who is hesitant to join the study?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fI\u2019d say, know yourself. If information empowers you, this study is incredibly valuable. It can help identify risks early and offer a roadmap for prevention. But if you’re someone who would feel overwhelmed by knowing you carry a mutation, consider how you’d manage that information. The process itself is quick, easy, and can have a major impact.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fDo you have any feedback for improving the study?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fJust continue to raise awareness, like what you are doing now. More people should know about it. I\u2019m happy to help spread the word in my community and among my colleagues.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Interviewer:<\/span><\/b>\u202fThank you so much for sharing your story, Dr. Heidi. We\u2019re so grateful for your insights and support.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Heidi:<\/span><\/b>\u202fThank you. I’m thankful to be part of it and to contribute in any way I can.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

We are grateful to Dr. Arbona for sharing her experience with our community, and her ongoing support of the study.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

Do you have a story to share? Email us at wisdomcommunity@ucsf.edu!<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An Interview with Dr. Heidi Arbona, OBGYN & WISDOM Study Participant\u00a0 Interviewer:\u202fCan you tell me a little about yourself?\u00a0 Dr. Heidi:\u202fSure! I’m 53 years old and an OBGYN. Over the years, as both I and my patients have aged, I’ve developed a deep interest in perimenopause and menopause care. Surprisingly, I didn\u2019t learn much about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-risk"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTurning Insight into Action: An OBGYN\u2019s Journey Through the WISDOM Study - WISDOM Study<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thewisdomstudy.org\/how-an-obgyn-discovered-her-cancer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Turning Insight into Action: An OBGYN\u2019s Journey Through the WISDOM Study - WISDOM Study\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An Interview with Dr. Heidi Arbona, OBGYN & WISDOM Study Participant\u00a0 Interviewer:\u202fCan you tell me a little about yourself?\u00a0 Dr. Heidi:\u202fSure! 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