When the Doctor Becomes the Patient
As a neuroradiologist for 35 years at Montefiore Health System, one of the New York Proton Center’s three (NYPC) partner hospitals, Dr. Jacqueline Bello helps cancer patients understand their treatment options by reading their CT and MRI scans and reviewing them with the care team. But in 2025, when Dr. Bello learned she had a recurrence of ovarian cancer, suddenly she was the patient, and she was the one looking for options. Fortunately, one of the best treatment choices for Dr. Bello was proton therapy, a precise radiation technique that can better target the tumor and minimize damage to healthy cells around it, which means the potential for fewer side effects during and after treatment.
In 2024, Dr. Bello was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her initial treatment included extensive surgery and chemotherapy followed by brachytherapy, a type of internal radiation therapy. One year later, Dr. Bello had a PET scan that revealed a “hot spot” – a small 9 millimeter tumor located between the top of the organs in her pelvis and the bottom her spine. Due to the scarring from her original surgery and her history of mild inflammatory bowel disease, Dr. Bello’s care team at Montefiore recommended she have proton therapy to eradicate the tumor.
Proton Therapy Protects Healthy Tissues & Organs
Although Dr. Bello was familiar with proton therapy, her newfound role as patient propelled her to delve into its benefits. Dr. Bello realized proton therapy treatment perfectly aligned with her commitment to one of medicine’s oldest premises, “first do no harm.” In her case, proton therapy’s precision meant less harm by protecting healthy blood vessels and organs in her pelvis, including her bowels, from unnecessary radiation.
“When you have regular radiation therapy, the radiation beams get where they’re going, and they’re on target, but then the beams then exit your body,” she explains. “In my case, that would include my gut, which I worried might aggravate my mild inflammatory bowel disease.”
“With proton therapy, the radiation beams reach the target and stop, which is exactly what I needed,” she continues. “Proton therapy provides an extra margin of safety. In my case, that was critical, and it was reassuring.”
The Highest Level of Caring
At the NYPC, under the care of radiation oncologists Dr. Rafi Kabarriti and Dr. Keyur Mehta, Dr. Bello underwent a treatment course of five fractions (sessions) of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with proton therapy delivered over two weeks.
“When I first walked into the NYPC, I thought I was in a Ritz Carlton, it was that beautiful,” recalls Dr. Bello. “Also, the care I received at NYPC was really remarkable.”
“I wasn’t wearing my Montefiore badge because I wanted to be treated as a patient, not a doctor,” she continues. “As I was walking the hallway in my patient gown before treatments, I was really impressed by the nurses and technologists who were on their way to other tasks, who stopped to ask me if I was lost or if I needed a chair. That was not their job, but they went the extra mile to make me their job, as if it were their privilege.”
This level of care aligned with Dr. Bello’s own patient care philosophy that she shares with the students, residents and fellows she trains at Montefiore-Einstein: “I always say that along with the privilege we have, being entrusted with the care of patients comes responsibility.”
When the proton therapy was completed, Dr. Bello was joined by several NYPC staff members for the bell ringing ceremony, which signifies the completion of treatment. “My husband is 89 years old and was unable to accompany me to treatments and the bell ringing ceremony,” she says. “But several NYPC staff members gathered around me to be with me while I rang that bell. They videotaped it for me, and I proudly showed it to my family.”
“I always tell my medical students that when it comes to healthcare, we may not always win in helping patients return to health, but when it comes to caring, there is absolutely no excuse for losing,” says Dr. Bello. “The New York Proton Center models this belief and behavior and walks that walk beautifully.”
Today, Dr. Bello wants people to know the special kind of care that patients receive at NYPC. “NYPC takes care of your health with the extra safety margin of proton therapy,” she says. “Equally important, they are also taking care of the caring. And that gives me hope and inspiration in navigating my patient journey.”
PS: In reviewing the content of this blog, Dr. Bello proudly added that her follow-up PET scan just 3 days before was NEGATIVE for any hot spots!
