Bridget’s story: Breast cancer care without blood products

Hearing you have a suspicious breast lump and need a biopsy is unsettling. Being a Jehovah's Witness adds additional layers of complexity.

Bridget Kiah is a Witness living in Texas. Originally from Philadelphia, she had moved to Texas to teach the Bible. Bridget had been diligent about keeping up with her mammograms — then COVID-19 hit. When she realized she hadn't had a mammogram in two years, she scheduled one in June of 2023. She received a call from the hospital two weeks later and returned for an ultrasound and additional mammogram. The radiologist told her he suspected she had cancer.

"He wanted to do a biopsy right away, and I didn't believe him," Bridget says. "I was in denial. I told him I'd schedule that at some other time. When I went to my primary doctor for a regular follow-up visit, she told me it was a category 5, and I had better get it checked out because that's a high level of suspicion." Bridget scheduled the biopsy.

In the meantime, Bridget's mother had been admitted to a hospital in Philadelphia. As she made plans to visit her mother, Bridget decided to have the biopsy back home.

Practicing respect

"Jehovah's Witnesses do not accept blood transfusions," she says. "I remember hearing that Lankenau Medical Center has a bloodless medicine program, so I contacted Keiyona Coots, Clinical Nurse Coordinator of the Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program. The biopsy was scheduled for the day after I got off the plane.

"Instead of just going to any random place to get my biopsy, I thought I should start with the bloodless medicine team," explained Bridget. "I knew they would point me to doctors they trust and I would be in good hands with anybody they recommended."

Bridget was scheduled with Robin Ciocca, DO, Main Line Health breast surgeon, for the biopsy. Still in denial and with no family history of breast cancer, Bridget went to the beach for a few days after the biopsy. When Dr. Ciocca called with the news that it was indeed breast cancer, the surgery was already scheduled and the bloodless medicine team was ready to go.

Preparing for surgery

"I met with Keiyona on her day off," Bridget says. "She bought me lunch and we talked. She made sure I understood everything that was involved. As laymen, we know we don't accept blood transfusions, but we don't understand the alternatives. She explained everything."

"We are available 24/7 to support any patient who needs quality care without the use of blood or blood products, for any reason," says Coots. "Our team helps patients understand their options, which are evidence-based and founded on extensive research with successful outcomes."

Additional tests were done and the team prepared for a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy. "Bridget initially asked about a double mastectomy," Dr. Ciocca says, "but when we looked at her cancer, it was very small, stage 1, localized to the area initially seen on her mammogram. While mastectomy is always an option, lumpectomy is much less invasive with easier recovery and less blood loss. It also offers equivalent survival when compared to more aggressive surgery."

Bridget's team now included her medical oncologist, Arezoo Ghaneie, MD, and radiation oncologist Marisa Weiss, MD, Director of Breast Radiation Oncology for Main Line Health, as well as her oncology social worker, Gabrielle Curcillo, and breast nurse navigator Lauryn McGeever.

"It was stressful," Bridget described. "But I kept thinking, 'I'll be alright. I have this whole team here on my side. I'm going to be okay because all these professionals know what they're talking about. And they are working together on my care plan.' I knew it would be a journey, but I might as well sit back and relax and just work with it."

Going the extra mile

When Bridget faced challenges with her Texas-based insurance, her care team at Main Line Health immediately went to bat for her.

"Dr. Weiss did a peer-to-peer review with them and they paid those claims. Dr. Ciocca also worked on my behalf. The social workers and nurse navigators got me connected to community programs like Unite for Her and the American Cancer Society. They didn't see me as being a Texan — they saw me as a patient who needed care."

Bridget had 21 rounds of radiation therapy following surgery. "The radiation therapy staff was amazing," she says. "They supported me emotionally. Every morning when I went in, there was a smile on their faces. Dr. Weiss was my cheerleader — she rallied me on. They were all beautiful people. I was walking tall because I felt that even if cancer should return, this is my team and I'll be okay."

Continuing her ministry

After three months in Philadelphia, Bridget went back to Texas and continued her Jehovah's Witness ministry in a women's prison. She is deeply thankful for the people who have recognized the need for bloodless medicine and developed programs that don't sacrifice quality and outcomes.

"The entire team I had at Lankenau was excellent. For them to develop a program to work on Jehovah's Witness patients tells me how meticulous they are and how much they care," says Bridget.

"So, get your mammograms and prostate screenings, the earlier the better. And then work with the people who care. It's the emotional side of treatment that will make you feel these doctors are going over and above what they are trained to do."

Next steps

Make an appointment with Robin Ciocca, DO

Schedule your mammogram online

Learn more about the Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program

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