"Victoria I had the pleasure of speaking with Kirsten this afternoon regarding the work that I do and he mentioned you would be the person I would need to forward this information too. I would love the opportunity to work with Dr. Holmes in getting this information out to the population at large through the seminars and health information he provides.
It is my understanding that you do quite a bit of counseling and pre-need information regarding cancer care. I would love to make this information available to yourself and those people you speak with. I will give you a call at the end of to the week to discuss an opportunity to work with you. I would like to forward you some information can you please respond with an email address to send the information.
Thanks for your time and consideration."
- S.E.
"I want to say thank you for all of the wonderful care you have given me. I’ve never met a doctor as caring as you."
- J.C., Bakersfield
“A year ago I was in your office scared to death that I might have cancer. Then, I looked into your beautiful eyes and you smiled that incredible smile, and I knew I would be fine.”
- K. D., Los Angeles
"Thank you so much for the successful breast cancer surgery and the excellent follow-up care. You made me a cancer survivor."
- D.P., Los Angeles
"I know I'm not the only one who feels that you are an exceptional doctor who makes personal connections with your patients."
- D.W., Los Angeles
"Dedication is one of the greatest gifts in the life! Without you, Dr. Holmes, I probably would not be in the life today."
- A.S., Sherman Oaks
"My deepest gratitude for your brilliant work! I am happy, healthy, and whole. Thank you sincerely,"
- N.M., Los Angeles
"Thank you so much for the treatment and excellent care. You made me a cancer survivor.
Thanks again,"
- M.H., Los Angeles
"From the bottom of my heart...Thank you! Thank you for your compassion, support, kindness, and love. I appreciate what you've done more than you know. I feel truly blessed to have had you as my surgeon."
- HD, Los Angeles
"I cannot image my cancer survivorship without your care and support. Your care, dedication, support, and encouragement have been so important to my survival and quality of life."
- B.L., Torrance
"Thank you so very much, once again and consistently, for your reassuring, kind thoroughness in examining and discussing my progress today. Please know how very much you are appreciated and valued.
My diagnosis, surgery and followup have been so much easier because of YOU!! I listen to other women who have gone through similar situations, NONE of whom have had someone as wonderful as you to guide them through the process, enabling them to keep the positive outlook you have gifted me with.
Additionally your going the extra mile, as today with your kind listening ear is an added blessing that is so very much valued!!!
YOU are just the absolute best and I want you to know it!!!"
- M.F., Torrance, CA
"It would be easier to take the light out of the moon than to find the words to say how much I appreciate you."
- W.N., Cerritos
"Thanks for Helping save my friends Life, She loves you and your work and Now I do as well. God Bless you for all you do!"
- K.W.
"Walking into your clinic was like a dream come true. In fact, I felt like I was walking into one of my own dreams because I have been dreaming about an integrative healing center that operates like a healing spa and here it is in Downtown LA - being provided by you."
- H.V., Los Angeles
"What a great facility! ... and how very proud I am of you and all that you are doing!!!!!! Today's event was terrific, informative and highly motivating. YOU have done a wonderful job ... no surprise there!!!"
- M.O., Torrance, CA
"I appreciate your thorough approach in making the diagnosis, and proving that I did not have cancer."
- L.N., Los Angeles
"I wanted to write and thank you so much for seeing me two weeks ago at your gorgeous clinic. It was such a pleasure meeting you. You are an amazing pioneer and special angel walking on this planet. Thank you also for being so supportive and understanding of my personal healing journey and for being so sensitive when you had to deliver some bad news to me."
- J.D., Beverly Hills
"A time to say God Bless you non and every day again and again. Thanks for being very caring and humble."
- NS, Los Angeles
“Words cannot express my heartfelt gratitude for everything you have done for me. You’ve been a blessing to my family and me.”
- E. A., Los Angeles
"I would walk around holding up a billboard SHOUTING your praise! I had experience with four breast surgeons....without a doubt....YOU were the one I trusted to be 100% detail oriented, with extreme care and awareness."
- C.S., Los Angeles
“I don’t know how to thank you for saving my life. I believe you are one of God’s angels working here on earth.”
- A.I., Los Angeles
"Do know that many of us recognize you as a very talented and outstanding human being. Amongst all my family, friends, and doctor you are famous!"
- I.A., Los Angeles
The diagnosis of breast cancer strikes most women like a “crisis”. However, you should resist the urge to treat it as an “emergency”. Having the cancer removed quickly may help your anxiety, but “rushing” to surgery will not improve your chances of surviving breast cancer or avoiding a recurrence. For the best possible outcome, it is critical that you learn about all of your treatment options before going to surgery so that you do not deprive yourself of treatment options or make hasty decisions that might compromise your outcome. It is completely safe to take a few weeks to figure things out.
Nearly 1 out of every 3 women who undergo lumpectomy for breast cancer requires more than one operation to successfully treat her breast cancer when only one operation is usually all that is necessary. Here are the three most common reasons that patients undergoing multiple operations: 1) the surgeon was surprised to find cancer after removing a lump that was thought to be benign, 2) incomplete removal of the cancer at the first operation, and 3) failure to evaluate the lymph nodes at the first operation in a woman with breast cancer. While it is not always possible for the surgeon to be successful in the first operation, following this “10 Things Guide” will greatly increase the chances that your first breast operation will be successful. 
Choosing a surgeon to treat your breast cancer is among the most important decisions you will make in your fight against breast cancer. This decision will not only influence how you emotionally handle your cancer diagnosis, it will also greatly affect the kinds of treatments you are offered, the success of your breast cancer operation, and the kinds of side-effects you will deal with after breast cancer surgery. Even if you are happy with your current surgeon, obtaining a second opinion will make you a smarter consumer and reassure you that you are on the right path to recovery. Second opinions may also help you identify more effective or safer options that might have not been offered to you. Don’t be ashamed to ask for a second opinion. It is your right as a patient. 
If you have a new breast lump, abnormal mammogram, or abnormal ultrasound, please resist the urge to have it removed as the first step to finding out what it is—even if your surgeon recommends removal as the first step. Instead of surgery at the first step, please insist on a needle biopsy first to allow a portion of the abnormality to be removed for a diagnosis. Finding out what the abnormality or lump is before having it surgically removed will greatly improve the chance of successful removal, reduce the chances of unnecessary surgery, and provide you the opportunity to fully consider your treatment options (e.g., lumpectomy, mastectomy, reconstruction, lymph node biopsy, second opinion, clinical trials) before you burn any bridges that can’t be crossed again. Commonly, the only difference between successful cancer surgery and unsuccessful cancer surgery is whether or not a needle biopsy was performed first. 
While the idea of losing extra breast tissue might seem unsettling, it is essential that your surgeon remove a generous rim of normal tissue along with your cancer. We call this rim of normal tissue the surgical margin or safety margin. The safety margin is important because cancers are often larger than they appear on mammogram or ultrasound. So the surgeon must remove the cancer with a safety margin (surgical margin) to increase the chances of successful removal in case the cancer is larger than expected. Even small cancers can be a challenge to remove because they cannot be felt. To aid removal of small cancers, surgeons usually have localizing wires or needles temporarily inserted into the breast by the radiologist prior to surgery to mark the location of the cancer. Although many surgeons use only 1 localizing wire inserted right through the center of the tumor, ask your surgeon to consider using 2 wires (one on either side of the tumor) to ensure removal of your cancer along with a wide surgical margin. While placing multiple localizing wires prior to surgery might be an inconvenience to you, your surgeon, and to the radiologists, it is not nearly as inconvenient as having to return to surgery a second time because the cancer was not adequately removed. 
