Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital announced recently it will expand its service line of women’s health services by introducing new physicians to support care in San Benito County.
Dr. James Lilja recently joined the HHMH medical staff, adding the specialized field of gynecologic oncology to the scope of services offered, HHMH officials said. Lilja is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist, specializing in the treatment of cancerous and precancerous conditions of the female reproductive tract.
When surgery for cancer or pre-cancer is required, Lilja tries to incorporate minimally invasive techniques (vaginal, laparoscopic or robotic) to minimize the recovery time and discomfort for patients and their families, says a press release from the Hollister hospital. Lilja performs hundreds of these procedures every year.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with gynecologic cancer may already know the multiple treatment options—surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hyperthermia—that are often needed.
“I’m honored to help patients navigate a sometimes confusing and frustrating road to health,” Lilja said.
Lilja has been committed to the development of innovative and safe treatments for advanced and refractory cancer, says the press release. He is the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Verthermia Inc, a medical device company investigating new treatments for metastatic cancer utilizing heat to stimulate the body’s own immune response.
Lilja is also co-principal investigator in a clinical trial using intra-abdominal heating for treating cancer within the abdominal cavity.
Dr. Elaine Lee, a general surgeon, has also joined Hazel Hawkins’ Women’s Health team, specializing in benign breast disease and breast cancer care.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, says the press release. Just as no two patients are the same, no two cancers are exactly alike. Along with other providers, Lee is dedicated to working with her patients to develop an individualized treatment plan to get them back on to a path to health and healing.
Lee’s special surgical interests are hidden scar surgery and nipple-sparing mastectomies, HHMH officials said. She also has a passion for advancing cancer survivorship in young adults.
The hospital also has plans to add an additional physician specializing in urogynecology or “female urology” in the near future.
The HHMH Women’s Health specialists are located at the Hazel Hawkins Primary Care and Surgical Specialty Center located at 930 Sunset Drive, Bldg. 1, Suite C in Hollister.
