Tricia Kelly

My Proud Story...

I am a breast cancer surgeon. I have been practicing in the Lehigh Valley for eight years now. Two months after joining St. Luke's, I got a call from one of our OB-GYN docs who had a young lady in his office, a daughter of one of his patients. Her mother brought her to him because she was desperately trying to get care her daughter who had a 10 cm mass in her breast. She was a 39 year old, single mother going through a divorce and no health insurance. When I got the call, it was late in the day and my clinic was closing, however, I told the OB-GYN to send her right over. I saw her that day and, after performing a biopsy, diagnosed her with inflammatory breast cancer. At that moment, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be - at St. Luke's, taking care of this patient. It did, and still does, bring tears to my eyes. I've been a breast cancer surgeon now for 14 years. At times, I can get weary from this profession, but then invariably something happens and sends me a reminder why I'm doing what I'm doing - a message of sorts. It's usually a certain patient or situation. Why breast cancer surgery? It was a calling, no different than being a priest or a nun. It's my calling. A few months ago, I got an unexpected letter from this patient's daughter, thanking me for taking care of her mother years ago so that she was able to witness the birth of her first grandchild.

Tricia Kelly, MD
Allentown Campus, Surgical Oncology
Hired in 2011