When Rose Cipolla of Princeton, New Jersey, tried to move a box from her garage attic, she never expected it to lead to a dozen years of life-threatening medical problems—and the formation of what she joyfully calls her second family.

Rose felt her left arm break as the box bounced off it, but the real shock came when her emergency department doctor asked her if she wanted the good news or the bad news. Always optimistic, Rose was delighted to hear the good news that she would not require a bulky cast on her arm. 

The bad news, unfortunately, was that her X-rays were a cause for concern. Further testing revealed Rose had multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow.

Serious Illness Needs Superior Doctors 

After meeting with several local oncologists, Rose found David S. Siegel M.D., Ph.D., founding director of the Multiple Myeloma Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center, and chose him to provide her cancer care. Despite the fact that she lived more than 60 miles from Hackensack, she says her decision was easy: “I loved Dr. Siegel from the very beginning. His personality is incredible, and his expertise is obvious,” she says.

Over the years, Dr. Siegel has overseen Rose’s care including: 

• A stem cell transplant that required a month in the hospital but gave her four years in remission
• Chemotherapy 
• Regular drug infusions, which she continues today

The admiration is mutual for Dr. Siegel, who says he continues to be touched by Rose’s love for life, her family and everyone she’s met in her years of treatment. 

Setback Requires New Cancer Treatments 

Rose was in good health, when, in February 2022, she was hospitalized in Princeton for abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with primary peritoneal cancer, a close relative of ovarian cancer. Primary peritoneal cancer is a rare cancer that starts in the thin layer of tissue that lines the inside of the abdomen.

Rose turned to Dr. Siegel, her trusted doctor for 12 years, for guidance. He referred her to Deena Graham, M.D., who specializes in treating gynecologic cancers, and Ami P. Vaidya, M.D., who became Rose’s gynecologic surgeon.

“It’s been critical that Rose’s cancer team has worked together as one,” Dr. Vaidya says. “She has benefited from high-level expertise as the teams have meshed her treatment for the optimal outcome.” 

The team opted to pause Rose’s treatments for her multiple myeloma while Rose was aggressively treated for her stage 4 ovarian cancer with chemotherapy. Once chemotherapy was complete, Dr. Vaidya performed a hysterectomy using a minimally invasive robotic procedure to reduce the risk and healing time for Rose.

Attitude Makes the Difference in Cancer Care

Both multiple myeloma and primary peritoneal cancer were once considered quickly fatal. However, medical advances have made it possible for many people to live with them as chronic medical conditions. In Rose’s case, her treatments for both cancers have been successful. She is now on maintenance medication for her primary peritoneal cancer and for her multiple myeloma.

Even after years of medical treatments that few can imagine enduring, Rose, now 75 years old, shows up for her regular medical infusion appointments dressed fashionably, sporting her trademark scarlet red lipstick and calling out, “Honey, I’m home!” as she enters the clinic. 

The team at John Theurer Cancer Center has embraced her with the love she has shown them, and when she was offered a chance to reschedule a treatment so it would not fall on her birthday, she replied, “I have to go, they’re my family!” 

After all this time, they certainly are family, and the team celebrated that appointment with balloons and sweet treats.

Next Steps & Resources:

• Meet our sources: Ami P. Vaidya, M.D., and David S. Siegel M.D., Ph.D.
• To make an appointment with an oncologist near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.
• Learn about cancer care at Hackensack Meridian Health.
• Schedule a cancer screening near you.

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.