EJ Beck’s medical journey at NYU Langone Health

As a child, EJ Beck was treated at NYU Langone Health for a scarce pediatric thyroid cancer. About 10 years after testing revealed she was cancer-free, Beck was accepted into medical school No. 1: Modern York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. Her transformation from pediatric patient to aspiring physician provides insight into NYU Langone’s influence in shaping future physicians and one woman’s mission to honor – and join – those who saved her life.

The insidious beginnings of thyroid cancer

Beck’s parents were committed to her medical care, but it wasn’t until a chance visit to a dermatologist that the doctor noticed a lump protruding from the center of Beck’s neck. The truth emerged soon after: a scarce, risky pediatric thyroid tumor that had taken up residence in her neck and was threatening to spread.

“I was 10 years venerable,” Beck recalled. “I didn’t realize the severity of the diagnosis, but I remember the kindness of everyone at NYU Langone who cared for me. They made us all feel supported – not only me, but also my parents.”

Navigating treatment: A child’s perspective on cancer treatment

“A painless neck should always be checked sooner rather than later,” said Kepal N. Patel, M.D., who was Beck’s physician and is now chairman of the Division of Endocrine Surgery and lead surgeon of the Thyroid Program at NYU Langone. “Having a huge tumor on a compact neck can enhance the risk to surrounding structures and enhance the risk of surgery. The tumor can affect the nerves of the vocal cords, affect their voice, and spread to the lymph nodes. We had to act quickly to avoid these concerns.”

Thyroid cancer in children is scarce, and Beck’s case was quite scarce, something not usually seen even in mainstream offices. It was a grave responsibility – a large lump on a compact neck, threatening the child’s well-being and normal life.

Dr. Patel performed a total thyroidectomy with neck dissection, a surgery that involves removing the entire thyroid gland and the affected lymph nodes surrounding it. This saved Beck’s life while preserving her ability to speak. Although voice changes are possible after thyroid removal, her voice remained the same thanks to the team’s careful work to avoid damaging her vocal cords.

After surgery, Beck received treatment with radioactive iodine (RAI). RAI therapy is often used after removal of the thyroid gland when the cancer has spread. It helps kill any remaining cancer cells and prevents recurrence.

“During the tests, I was very good at lying still,” Beck said. Faced with fatigue and exhaustion from the treatments, even the tiny walk from the subway to the hospital seemed impossibly long.

Beck had the added responsibility of taking radiation precautions during treatment to protect her family members, especially her youthful sisters. Being around such radiation may be a risk factor for cancer.

Her parents and grandparents worked as a team to protect Beck from the unnatural expectations of immunity often placed on ailing children. But while other children were having the most carefree moments of their lives, Beck was filled with anxiety. She said she still nervously checks her neck for lumps, even when she comes down with something as innocent as a frigid.

The decision to go to medical school

After achieving remission, Beck viewed hospital life as something she had to leave behind. It only hit her when she attended a high school for high school survivors of childhood cancer, compounded by the fact that her longtime oncologist retired that same year. She suddenly realized that more than anything she wanted to give back to the same field that saved her life.

We [the patients] he did this amazing thing at such a youthful age. We are here and we have the opportunity to choose what our next stage of life will look like. The fact that I was finishing cancer treatment at the same time as this doctor who meant so much to me was retiring solidified my next move.”

EJ Beck, NYU Langone Health

When the e-mail arrived informing her of her acceptance to Modern York University’s Grossman School of Medicine – off the waiting list, anyway – Beck was stunned. “I had to think about it for a few minutes,” she laughs. “I had to make sure everything was legal before I called everyone I knew. I simply couldn’t believe that I was going to a top institution with a guarantee that I would walk out debt-free. That means all my friends and I have met here that we have to worry about is becoming the best doctors we can be.”

Another wave of emotions hit Beck as she entered the hospital to start classes. “It was the same entrance I remembered from my childhood. I walked through that door as a completely up-to-date person. I looked at all the other patients who walked in right next to me and I understood what it was like to be in their shoes.”

A mosaic of experiences: Shaping the future of health care

As Beck begins his medical education, he becomes part of an extremely diverse and talented group of employees. He compares his classmates to Swiss Army knives – those who bring to their practice not only knowledge and skills, but also deep sources of empathy born from personal experience to serve every patient who walks through their doors.

Beck now regularly makes the same journey from the subway to the hospital that she once found so tough for a patient, and each time she is amazed with gratitude for how far she has come. Her experience with cancer has helped many of the physicians she hopes to become, including: ensuring that patients are adequately informed about the precautions to take during radiotherapy and the importance of clinicians examining patients for a complete picture of their health. But most of all, he values ​​recognizing the humanity of his patients and their families in the face of cancer — because yes, he truly dreams of one day becoming a pediatric oncologist.