Eric Steiner is no stranger to colorectal cancer. His grandfather had it, and his mother passed away from it at the age of 53. In early 2023, the Mechanicsburg, Pa., resident began to experience stomach pain and frequent, irregular bowel movements. He scheduled an appointment with his UPMC primary care provider (PCP), Mercy Odoom, CRNP, who recommended a colonoscopy – a medical procedure that examines the inside of the colon, rectum, and anus to check for abnormalities.
Eric underwent the colonoscopy and expected his results to be normal. Even with his family history, he thought that at age 40, his chances of cancer were low.
“I assumed the doctors were going to tell me that everything was fine, since I was relatively young,” says Eric. “When they went over my results, they told me they found a cancerous tumor and they were going to refer me to have surgery to remove it. It was a whirlwind; I was so shocked.”
The Path to the UPMC Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Eric and his wife, Christine, discussed Eric’s options with his family. Eric’s dad sent him a list of three colorectal surgeons who were recommended by Eric’s cousin, who works at a large multi-national drug manufacturer. One of her recommendations was David Medich, MD, chief, UPMC Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery.
“My PCP is a UPMC provider, my wife works for UPMC, and we have UPMC Health Plan insurance,” says Eric. “On top of that, I’ve always had great care at UPMC. I had back surgery in 2017 with Matt El-Kadi, MD, PhD, who took great care of me when he removed a cyst from my spine. For my colorectal surgery, I wanted the best care possible and knew I would receive it at UPMC.”
Eric works for a recycling company that’s based in Pittsburgh, Pa. In a meeting with his boss shortly after his diagnosis, Eric confided in him about his colonoscopy results and shared the list of recommended colorectal surgeons. Surprisingly, Eric’s boss had known Dr. Medich for 30 years, as they went to the same church.
“My boss said, ‘If it were me, that’s who I would go with. You definitely need to call him,’” recalls Eric. “Having two people that I knew and trusted suggest Dr. Medich for this surgery – it was a no-brainer to choose him. I knew I was going to the expert.”
After his meeting with his boss, Eric immediately called the UPMC Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery and spoke with Kim Sainiak, MSN, nurse and clinical administrator. She then scheduled an appointment for Eric to meet with Dr. Medich and the team in Pittsburgh the following Tuesday on April 4.
Eric was willing to make the three-and-a-half-hour drive to meet with Dr. Medich and the team in person at UPMC Passavant–McCandless, even though he had the option to meet virtually through telemedicine. At the appointment, he received pre-operative testing and his surgery was scheduled a few weeks later.
“I had my surgery before I even would have consulted with the surgeon who my local PCP recommended,” says Eric. “Dr. Medich sat down with me and went through all my CTs and colonoscopy results and really took the time to go through everything with me. I couldn’t believe that a world-renowned, top surgeon in the United States was sitting there with me discussing my case. He was so compassionate, kind, honest, and cared about what I had to say. I left that appointment feeling confident. The support the team gave my wife and me was unmatched.”
Surgery Day
On surgery day, Eric felt nervous, but he was also confident in Dr. Medich and his team, who provided him with lodging information for the night before surgery, as his procedure was scheduled early in the morning at UPMC Montefiore.
“The team really prepared me on what to expect,” says Eric. “The doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists – everybody I met explained exactly what they were doing, what was going to happen, and why they were there, which made my anxiety decrease. Even though it was all explained to me in my pre-surgery appointment, they still explained everything again, which I appreciated.”
The Road to Recovery
Eric was discharged from the hospital two days after his surgery and returned home to Mechanicsburg. He took off work for two and a half weeks to recover, and Christine served as his care partner.
“I felt back to 75 percent after three and a half weeks,” Eric recalls. “Dr. Medich told me that getting up and moving and not sitting around was needed for recovery, so I went on a lot of walks. I really think that’s what helped me get back on my feet way sooner than I expected.”
When Eric was recovering at home, Dr. Medich called him to check on his recovery status. Eric’s nurses also followed up with him through phone calls and messages through the MyUPMC app. Eric had follow-up telemedicine visits with Dr. Medich at six months and one year post-surgery in April 2024.
“UPMC is the reason why I get to live my life to the fullest”
“I have peace of mind now because of the excellent care I received at UPMC,” says Eric. “I don’t have to worry about my stomach when eating out at a restaurant. Before surgery, I was cautious of what I ate and where. I’m also able to say yes to a lot of things now, which I couldn’t do before. UPMC is the reason why I get to live my life to the fullest.”
As avid music lovers, Eric and Christine frequently travel the country to see live music, including trips to Las Vegas, Miami, and Napa, Calif. Most recently, the pair went on their first trip abroad to Europe in September. Eric credits the UPMC Division of Colon and Rectal surgery team and his first colonoscopy for him being able to travel the world.
“I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Medich and the team at UPMC,” says Eric. “Everyone I worked with was so compassionate; I wasn’t just getting in line and taking a number. Preventive care is why I’m still here. The team caught my cancer early enough that it was only at stage I, and I didn’t need chemotherapy or radiation. If I hadn’t had that colonoscopy, who knows where I’d be right now.”
Learn more about telemedicine services and the UPMC Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery or call 412-647-1705.
Eric’s treatment and results may not be representative of other cases.