As a cancer doctor and now CVI’s Director of Clinical Trials, Dr. Shaveta Vinayak has long been known for her dedication to researching and treating cancer. But at her recent keynote address for the 2024 Fred Hutch Metastatic Breast Cancer Survivorship event, she stepped out of her professional role and into a deeply personal one — sharing publicly for the first time her journey from oncologist to oncology patient.
“Would I be able to handle seeing patients with the same disease that had just wrecked me?” she wondered when she received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2011. She discussed the numerous questions and fears she had about a life with cancer. It was difficult, she said, when she made the choice and transition to step away from her clinical practice.
But in 2022, she found the opportunity to be productive in the cancer space: conducting research and developing clinical trials at the CVI. Since then, she has been paving the way for a revolution in cancer care with cancer vaccines.
She spoke to an audience of caregivers and patients, imbued with quiet strength. The silent hum of respectful listening with neighbors sitting shoulder to shoulder and comforting each other with a tissue or a gentle rub on the back. The vulnerability she offered rippled throughout the room.
This was not just about one woman’s battle with cancer but the collective resilience of so many who walk a similar path.
Listen to Dr. Vinayak’s keynote address titled “My Big Fat Metastatic Life” via Fred Hutch (timestamp 11:45).
You may also read a comprehensive reporting on the conference by Diane Mapes (Fred Hutch) here: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2024/11/surviving-and-thriving-with-metastatic-breast-cancer-.html.