Dr. Kenneth Abbott decided to be a doctor in the sixth grade, motivated by the incredible advances in organ transplant technology that medicine was experiencing at the time. He chose hematology and oncology during rotations in medical school. “I was always interested in chemistry, so hematology, which is directly related to the chemistry of the blood system, was very intriguing. What drew me to oncology was the comprehensive level of patient care I saw in the oncologists who were my teachers; they were my best role models for the kind of doctor I wanted to be.”

Dr. Abbott has seen significant gains in the treatment of cancer in the past 25 years. “Remarkable progress has been made in treatment options for so many cancers. More and more we see patients living longer and with a much better quality of life after a cancer diagnosis. We hear the words ‘I had cancer’, not ‘I have cancer’, much more frequently now.”

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer is life altering for any patient, and having the opportunity to work closely with his patients in developing their care plan is an honor for Dr. Abbott. “More than any other area of medicine, oncology requires a close partnership between the patient and the provider. I feel privileged and humbled to have that relationship with every one of my patients.”