A public lecture by Dr. Nathalie McDowell Johnson, Sansum Clinic’s visiting professor of surgery, on the history and future of breast cancer treatment and surgery is now available to the community via this link.

On March 7 at Ridley-Tree Cancer Center’s Wolf Education & Training Center, Dr. Johnson, a breast surgeon who is the medical director of the Legacy Health Systems Cancer Institute and the Legacy Breast Health centers in Portland, Oregon, takes the audience on a journey back in time to explain the early beginnings of breast surgery.

She also shares her thoughts on modern day advances in the field of breast cancer treatment and research, and offers her views on the role and timing of breast surgery, and the latest techniques.

In addition to developing Legacy Health-Good Samaritan’s breast health centers, Dr. Johnson is the past president of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, and she currently serves on its Board of Directors.

She participated in Sansum Clinic’s Visiting Professor of Surgery Surgical Academic Week during which she met with local surgeons and surgical residents in training at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, and participated in the weekly breast cancer case conference at Ridley-Tree Cancer Center which provides multidisciplinary review of local breast cancer patient treatment plans.

Ridley-Tree Cancer Center’s surgical oncologist Dr. W. Charles Conway II is the Surgical Academic Week Program administrator and leads the selection committee whose members include general surgeons at Sansum Clinic and the director of surgical education at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.