Biliary Tract Cancer near Blacksburg, VA

Biography: Dr. Giordano practiced oncology and hematology in Maine before moving to North Carolina for its warmer winters. Her interest is in helping patients who have lung cancer and patients with gastrointestinal and hematological malignancies. She leads the cancer center's weekly thoracic oncology tumor board meeting. Her interest in oncology stems from a personal goal of helping patients maintain the best quality of life possible after a life-changing diagnosis. Her hope is to make what is often a frightening diagnosis less scary. Dr. Giordano is a native of Long Island, New York, but prefers country living. She enjoys spending her free time with her four dogs, two cats and two horses.

Biography: Birgit Arb, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist with LewisGale Physicians serving patients in Pulaski, Virginia, and the surrounding community. Dr. Arb received her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and her medical degree from Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Dr. Arb completed her residency in internal medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, followed by her fellowship in medical oncology at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine-CCCWFU in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.Dr. Arb is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine and medical oncology and holds a certification from the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program. She is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and North Carolina Oncology Association. Additionally, she has served as a board member and president for the North Carolina Oncology Association. She most recently has received a patient nominated Guardian Angel award and subsequent pinning for excellence in patient care. She has over 25 years of experience delivering comprehensive, patient-focused hematology and oncology care. Dr. Arb offers a variety of services including diagnostic bone marrow biopsies and aspirations, chemotherapy treatment planning and implementation, supportive care for infusion therapies, blood tests, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. She believes in delivering compassionate care to each patient and works collaboratively with patients to develop the best plan of care.Outside of the practice, Dr. Arb enjoys attending Virginia Tech athletic events, being part of the Literacy Volunteers of the New River Valley, biking, hiking, and spending time with family.

Biography: I am a general hematologist and oncologist practicing in rural North Carolina. \n Originally, I planned to be a primary care physician in the Midwest. However, that plan changed during medical school as I found myself drawn to patients with complex illnesses like cancer. That was also the time I discovered an additional interest in geriatrics and palliative care. My goal was, and continues to be, to care for patients throughout their illness, including providing end-of-life care. \n I enjoy the unique patient needs of practicing general hematology and oncology in a rural setting and love the fact that patients can receive world-class cancer care in their own community. \n I am interested in my patients as individuals and think beyond their cancer diagnosis. My goal is to empower my patients with knowledge through their decision-making process, helping them make the best decisions for themselves and their families. \n When I am not practicing medicine, I enjoy spending time with my husband. I look forward to meeting you and providing you care.

Biography: Dr. Shearer cares for hematology and oncology patients with all tumor types. She has a special interest in helping patients who have gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies including esophageal, colorectal and anal cancers, as well as hepatobiliary malignancies. She works closely with the GI multidisciplinary clinic at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center. She has served as the primary investigator on many clinical trials for GI malignancies and regularly attends scholarly meetings. Dr. Shearer enjoys reading, cooking, traveling in her spare time and has run several half marathons. She enjoys spending time with her two daughters, her husband, a physician assistant in cardiothoracic surgery, and her golden retrievers.

Biography: I am a medical oncologist at Novant Health, specializing in lung cancer and thoracic malignancies. My father was my role model growing up and worked as an oral surgeon, which drew me towards a career in medicine from an early age. Like many families, my family was no stranger to cancer. \n Very quickly in my medical training, I identified oncology as my area of interest. I made it my goal to always be accessible to my patients, and to communicate the details of their illness, treatment, and prognosis in clear and concise language. I believe it is the patient's right to know all of the details regarding their case and that I should prioritize their input in making treatment decisions. \n I am passionate about identifying the latest cutting-edge research opportunities for my patients. That is why I am participating in Novant Health's effort to identify and overcome barriers to treatment for lung cancer patients in order to reduce the time from diagnosis to treatment and improve lung cancer outcomes. This is also why I co-chair the Thoracic Tumor Council and help lead the cancer physician team at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center.

Biography: Dr. Suzan Merten, MD is an Oncology Specialist who practices in Roanoke, VA. She is 64 years old and has been practicing for 37 years. Dr. Suzan Merten, MD is affiliated with Lewisgale Hospital Alleghany.

Biography: Dominique Dempah, MD, is a general surgeon in Salem, Virginia, specializing in the minimally-invasive treatment of benign and malignant gastrointestinal disorders. Dr. Dempah received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana, and completed his surgical residency at Saint John Hospital, in Detroit, Michigan. He did a surgical fellowship at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he trained in advanced gastrointestinal surgery including advanced laparoscopy, endoscopy, and hepatobiliary surgery. Most recently, Dr. Dempah gained advanced training at the Institut Mutualiste Montsouris in Paris, France. Prior to coming to Virginia, Dr. Dempah practiced as a general surgeon in Hazard, Kentucky. Dr. Dempah is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery. He has special interests in foregut surgery, pancreatic disease, and minimally-invasive, endoscopic, and robotic surgeries. He is fluent in French and in 1999 was the Ivory Coast Judo Junior National Champion. In his spare time, Dr. Dempah enjoys soccer, outdoor activities, and world cuisine.

Biography: Dr. Jepsen cares for hematology and oncology patients with all tumor types with a special focus on the treatment of breast cancer, as well as breast cancer prevention, genetics and survivorship. She also focuses on treating gastrointestinal malignancies. She has done research in molecular genetics and published translational research through Merck Inc. Her work has focused on DNA gene sequences for drug targets and sequencing of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for vaccine development. She worked on colon cancer tumor profile expression with microarray analysis at Princeton University. Dr. Jepsen enjoys spending free time with her husband, daughter and extended family. She also enjoys traveling, cooking and vacationing at the beach.

Biography: Joining Blue Ridge Cancer Care as of 08/16/2021