Kona, HI – A Kona woman is โsharing her โฃstory of gratitude forโ a โคlocal physicianโ whose skillโ and โcompassion transformed a frightening cancer diagnosis into a “patchwork of hope.” Susan Peters credits Dr. Parwathi Panicker, recently โretired from Kaiser Permanente’s Konaโ Medical Offices, with not only expertlyโข treating her โskin cancer but also providingโข extraordinary care that went “way โฃout of her way” โto ease her anxieties.
Petersโ frist noticed a sore on her lip that wouldn’t โขheal and repeatedly bled. Initially, she delayed seeking medical โขattention due โขto โคthe challenges of securing appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic. When โขthe sore โgrew to โtheโ size of her thumb, she finally saw Dr. Panicker.
“The cancer was โlarger than it appeared on the surface, which happens quiet a bit,” Dr. Panicker explained. Peters underwent a lengthy procedure and subsequent revisions, maintaining “so โmuch courage and โfortitude” throughout, accordingโค to Dr. Panicker.
facingโค the possibility of significant disfigurement, Peters was relieved when Dr. Panicker proposed a โreconstructive technique. “She said, ‘oh this is textbook. We have a trick โขthatโ we can like, take,โ go from here all the way down to here, move your whole cheek over and cover that โขup,'” Peters recalled. The closure requiredโฃ over three hours of meticulous stitching, resulting in โa scar far less โคnoticeable than anticipated.
Overโค time, additional patches ofโ skin cancer appeared.โ Peters consistently turned to Dr. Panicker, who prioritizedโ her care, working her into the schedule andโค offering reassurance. โ”Sheโฃ just bent overโฃ backwards to make me feelโค thatโฃ whatever I came in thereโ with, she was โขgonna be able to handleโฃ it, and it โwasn’t gonna be a big deal,” Peters said.
Peters expressed profound thankfulness for โDr. โขPanicker’s professionalism,โค graciousness, and caring demeanor. โ”I didn’t realize until she retired thatโ it was like, ‘oh my โgoodness,’ because this โkindโ of โขservice is not something thatโ we expect out here in Kona,” she stated.
Now focused on โdiligent skin care,Peters hopes to avoid future surgeries,adding,”Dr.โ Panicker is the only surgeon who’s ever cut on my face. I don’t wanna go toโข anybody else.” Hawaii Newsโค Nowโ celebratesโข Dr. Parwathi Panicker as a Hawaii โHealthcare Hero for her dedicationโฃ to patients โฃand her remarkable skill in turning a challenging diagnosis intoโฃ a โtestament to hope and healing.
