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Photography by Paul Nordmann

Leading St. Louis physicians share stories of triumphs, struggles, and hope

Doctors from across the St. Louis region offer insights into patient care.

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Dr. Bhooma Aravamuthan

Child Neurology

Washington University Physicians

For Aravamuthan, one of the joys of her vocation is balancing research with medicine. “With cerebral palsy research, everything I do in the lab is informed by the work that we do in the clinic,” she says. “I try to make sure that every single one of our research questions, if answered, helps a family.” Recently, Aravamuthan has been interested in learning more about a movement disorder called dystonia, which causes painful, involuntary muscle contractions. While studying the condition, she recognized that she needed to view the disorder in context. “It made me shift my research from a pure mouse-based animal model to combining community-focused research, clinical research, and a mouse-model lab all together because of the things I was hearing from the clinic,” she says. “That was all because I had the privilege to see families in the clinic and learn about how they experience dystonia.”

Dr. Robert G. Medler

Orthopaedic Surgery

Signature Medical Group

Youth sports are supposed to be fun. That’s the message Medler continually stresses to families. Unfortunately, he sees plenty of grade school and high school athletes who are being pushed too hard. “The No. 1 injury I see is overuse,” Medler says. “I constantly remind the students and their parents that rest is important for the overall health of the athlete.” The good news is the field of orthopedics is ever evolving. Over the course of his career, Medler has seen remarkable advancements in arthroscopic equipment. It’s now possible to perform complex procedures through a scope, and there have been incredible developments in the engineering of total joint implants and fracture care implants. “It likely won’t be long before we can return athletes to unrestricted sport participation in half the time after ACL reconstruction,” he says.

Dr. Jennifer Moore

Internal Medicine

SSM Health Medical Group

In the 1995 film Outbreak, a team of doctors is tasked with stopping the spread of a lethal virus brought to the United States by a capuchin monkey smuggled from Africa. The doctors need to capture the monkey and extract its antibodies to begin neutralizing the virus. Watching the flick as a youngster, Moore was touched by the doctors’ drive to save lives. “That movie is what inspired me to become a doctor,” she says. “I thought it was so cool, and it really sparked my interest in medicine. I kept going from there.” As her career in internal medicine has unfolded, Moore has approached each situation with two objectives: Trust your gut, and listen to the patient. “When you sit down with someone and really listen, they’ll give you more information than you might expect,” she says. “They’re the ones living in their bodies.”

Dr. David C. Han

Vascular Surgery

SLUCare Physician Group

Helping out in his local pediatrician’s office during high school and college made Han want to pursue a career in family medicine. Later, while completing a month-long rotation in pediatric surgery, Han performed a gastroschisis repair on an infant whose intestines were developing outside its body. The surgery was successful, and the baby’s life was saved. Suddenly, Han came to realize that surgery was his true calling. “I went, ‘Wow! This is what I need to do,’” Han says. “What draws us to surgery is problem solving, and with vascular surgery I have the opportunity to follow patients for the rest of their lives. Building relationships with patients is one of the most gratifying things I do. It’s a real privilege to be able to do that.”

Dr. Lora P. Collier

Pediatrics

Esse Health Pediatrics

The COVID-19 pandemic was a burden on everyone, especially adolescents. As difficult as the past few years have been, Collier has been heartened by the spotlight placed on mental health and the way teens and young adults are becoming more receptive to seeking care. “My hope is that this translates into increased resources with better access to qualified mental health professionals,” she says. Helping young people thrive, both physically and psychologically, is the highlight of the job for Collier, who enjoys following patients’ growth from infancy to adulthood. Receiving positive feedback directly from those patients and their families means the most. “I love hearing parents tell me their kids played ‘Dr. Collier’ with their doctor kits at home,” she says. “I told a 5-year-old patient, ‘It was so nice to see you,’ and he pointed back at me and said, ‘It was so nice to see you,’ with a big smile on his face.”

Dr. Gautum Agarwal

Urology

Mercy Clinic Urology

The tumors were the size of footballs. When the patient arrived in Agarwal’s office, the urologist knew he was dealing with a complicated problem. What Agarwal didn’t know was the extent of the man’s health issues. Not only were the masses in both kidneys cancerous, but the cancer had also spread to one of the patient’s adrenal glands. The man was eager to bring a sense of normalcy back to his life, but doing so required an intricate procedure that involved removing both kidneys. “I mainly do complex cancer surgeries,” Agarwal says. “But this was a very unique case. He went from the depths of despair and not having much hope to having a huge amount of hope. He did so well that he’s kind of returned to as much of a normal life as he could have.”

Dr. Thanh-Mai Vo

Nephrology

SLUCare Physician Group

A third-generation physician, Vo entered the medical field in the footsteps of her grandfather and father. The former was an herbalist in Vietnam, while the latter immigrated to the United States after the war ended in 1975 to earn his medical credentials and become a practicing physician stateside shortly thereafter. As children, Vo and her sister, who is also a doctor, would tag along and help their father with tasks in his office. Lessons learned from her family during those early years shape the way she approaches her work today. “Back in my grandfather’s day, he did a lot of integration of Eastern and Western medicine,” Vo says. “I recently started a fellowship in integrative medicine, and part of that is seeing the patient as a whole person. Instead of saying, ‘Hey, eat less and control your diabetes,’ I want to really get to know them and dive into their backgrounds to understand underlying issues.”

Dr. Clifford G. Robinson

Radiation Oncology

Washington University Physicians

A few weeks ago, Robinson participated in a panel discussion where he listened to a surgeon tell the audience that radiotherapy is boring compared to surgery. When it was Robinson’s time to speak, he thanked the surgeon for the compliment. “If a patient sees me, successfully undergoes state-of-the-art radiotherapy and is no worse for the wear—or bored—then I’ve succeeded,” Robinson says. The oncologist sees plenty in his field to be excited about, especially the way software advancements are making it easier to automate the radiology planning process. Streamlining will allow physicians such as Robinson to spend more time engaging with patients. “Humans need hope, no matter how dire the circumstances,” he says. “In radiation oncology, sometimes that’s providing hope for a chance of cure, or hope for a longer life, or hope for maintaining dignity in those last stages of an incurable cancer.”

Dr. Sumera Younus

Family Medicine

BJC Medical Group / Internal Medicine Specialists

When she was a little girl, Younus lost both her father and brother to preventable, treatable diseases. Younus was determined to turn the family tragedies into something positive, and embarked on a career in family medicine. “I’m a big believer in prevention,” Younus says. “So, I always advise patients on the importance of eating well, exercising, and having a good social support system.” Younus encourages patients to take advantage of the technology at their fingertips, and she’s particularly invigorated by the growth of virtual care. “I feel like it is my job to not only treat and diagnose patients, but also to really be there for them and support them in their total wellbeing,” she says. “I appreciate when patients feel comfortable sharing more about their emotional and psychological wellbeing. When appropriate, I am also open to sharing my own personal experiences and struggles with them.”

Dr. Mark J. Fesler

Medical Oncology

St. Luke’s Medical Group / Center for Cancer Care

A few months ago, Fesler experienced a profound loss: A patient he had treated since his fellowship 16 years ago died. In the waning days of the patient’s life, Fesler was asked to speak at the memorial service. “I was humbled and honored at such an invitation,” he says. “I was grateful for the opportunity to share with their family and friends how remarkable the struggle had been for this patient.” When dealing with a blood cancer diagnosis, Fesler encourages his patients to advocate for themselves and embrace the battle. “Do not hide your struggle,” he says. “Do not be afraid to ask for help, both from your personal network and your health care team. Bring another set of ears to your visits, if possible. Come with a list of questions. It’s OK to expect the best from your health care team.”