Hawthorne Oncology Pain Experts - HOPE

08/28/2026

**Pain fellows: there is no substitute for hands-on training.**

On **Saturday, October 3rd**, Dr. Nomen Azeem and I will be teaching at the **Medtronic Residents & Fellows Pain Therapies Skills Lab in Tampa, Florida**.

This is a focused, hands-on course designed to give fellows practical exposure to two foundational areas of advanced pain medicine:

🔹 **Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)** — Dr. Nomen Azeem
🔹 **Targeted Drug Delivery (TDD)** — Dr. Edward Podgorski III
🔹 **BVNA** - TBD

The program combines didactic education, peer-to-peer discussion, and **hands-on cadaver lab training**. I'll be focusing on targeted drug delivery, including the practical procedural skills and concepts that are difficult to learn from lectures alone.

📅 **Saturday, October 3, 2026**
📍 **FIVE Labs | Tampa, Florida**
⏰ **7:30 AM – 2:00 PM**

If you're a pain fellow interested in building a strong foundation in **neuromodulation and targeted drug delivery**, we'd love to have you join us.

👉 **Register here:** https://medtronic.cventevents.com/yBOaa2

📚 **Optional on-demand coursework:**
https://rtg.medtronicacademy.com/course/implantable-pain-therapies-physician

Please share with any residents or fellows who may be interested.

07/12/2026

07/07/2026

💜 No one should face pancreatic cancer alone. 💜

It was an honor to speak at last week's AdventHealth Pancreatic Cancer Support Group alongside Dr. Sharona Ross and an incredible multidisciplinary team dedicated to improving the lives of patients and their families.

During the discussion, I had the opportunity to talk about pain and symptom management—an often overlooked but essential part of comprehensive cancer care.

Managing cancer isn't just about treating the disease. It's about helping patients:
✅ Live with less pain
✅ Stay active and independent
✅ Improve quality of life
✅ Continue the treatments that matter most

From advanced interventional pain procedures to targeted drug delivery and personalized treatment plans, there are more options available today than many patients realize.

A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Sharona Ross, the AdventHealth team, and everyone who attended for creating such a meaningful evening of education, support, and hope.

Together, we're working toward a future where every pancreatic cancer patient has access to compassionate, comprehensive care.

If you or a loved one is living with pancreatic cancer and struggling with pain or other symptoms, know that you don't have to navigate it alone.

📞 Contact HOPE Pain Relief to learn more about our comprehensive cancer pain and symptom management program.

🌐 www.hopepainrelief.org

07/06/2026

❓Had multiple back surgeries and told you were not a candidate for spinal cord stimulation? You may still have options.❓

If you've had an extensive spinal fusion or previous back surgery, you may have been told that you're not a candidate for spinal cord stimulation.

That isn't always the case.

At HOPE Pain Relief, we offer advanced neuromodulation techniques that may help patients with:

✅ Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS)
✅ Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
✅ Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN)
✅ Chronic nerve pain affecting the feet and legs

For some patients with extensive spinal hardware or scar tissue, we can place spinal cord stimulation leads through the natural opening at the base of the spine (the sacral hiatus) instead of the traditional approach. This allows us to reach the nerves responsible for pain in the legs and feet—even when conventional spinal cord stimulation isn't possible.

The goal is simple:
✔️ Reduce pain
✔️ Improve walking and daily function
✔️ Decrease reliance on pain medications
✔️ Help you get back to doing the things you enjoy

Every patient is different, and this specialized technique is not appropriate for everyone. However, if you've been told there are no more treatment options because of previous spine surgery, it may be worth seeking another opinion.

💬 Don't let a prior spine surgery keep you from exploring today's advanced pain treatments.

📞 Contact HOPE Pain Relief to find out if you're a candidate for spinal cord stimulation or one of our other advanced neuromodulation therapies.

🌐 www.hopepainrelief.org

07/05/2026

Cancer getting you down? Read this.

Cancer treatment is about more than fighting the disease—it’s about helping you feel your best every step of the way.

Many patients assume symptoms like pain, numbness and tingling, fatigue, nausea, poor appetite, constipation, or difficulty sleeping are “just part of cancer.” While these symptoms are common, they often can be improved with the right plan.

Here are a few simple ways to support your body:

✅ Take short walks or stay as active as you’re able—movement can improve energy, strength, and mood.

🥗 Eat small, protein-rich meals throughout the day if your appetite is low. A dietitian can also help tailor a plan to your needs.

💧 Stay hydrated. Even mild dehydration can worsen fatigue, dizziness, and constipation.

🧘 Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or gentle stretching to help manage stress and improve sleep.

🤝 Most importantly—tell your healthcare team how you’re feeling. There are many treatments and supportive care options for cancer pain, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIPN), nausea, fatigue, appetite loss, and other symptoms. You don’t have to “just live with it.”

At Hawthorne Oncology Pain Experts (HOPE), our mission is simple: help you live as fully as possible while you’re fighting cancer.

One of my favorite sayings is:

“Setbacks in life are inevitable. Not living life to the fullest and maximizing every second is unforgivable.”

Let’s work together to make every day count.

CIPN SupportiveCare QualityOfLife PainManagement HopePainRelief LiveFully

07/05/2026

🚨 Most people living with chronic pain have never heard of this treatment...🚨

If you've been told your only options are pain medications, injections, or surgery, it may be time to learn about something different.

Introducing **Axon Therapy**—an advanced, non-invasive treatment designed to help patients with conditions such as:

✅ Peripheral neuropathy
✅ Chronic back pain
✅ Joint pain

How does it work?

Axon Therapy uses gentle magnetic pulses to stimulate damaged or irritated peripheral nerves. These pulses help "retrain" the nerves, encouraging healthier nerve signaling and reducing pain over time.

What does it feel like?

Most patients describe the treatment as a gentle tapping or muscle twitching sensation. Treatments are comfortable, require no needles, no surgery, and no downtime, and each session lasts just 13 minutes per treatment area.

At HOPE Pain Relief, we're committed to bringing our patients the latest evidence-based technologies that can improve quality of life while reducing reliance on medications.

🎉 Your first Axon Therapy session is FREE.

💬 Curious if you're a candidate?

👇 **Read the first comment to learn more, or contact HOPE Pain Relief today to schedule your complimentary evaluation and first treatment.

🌐 (www.hopepainrelief.org)

06/30/2026

👉 THE PUMP COURSE EVERY PUMP IMPLANTER SHOULD ATTEND 👈

Intrathecal drug delivery is evolving.

Lower doses. Better outcomes. Fewer complications. Smarter infrastructure.

If you're still managing pumps the same way you were taught years ago, you're missing some of the most important advances in modern targeted drug delivery.

Join us on September 19, 2026, at Rush University for the annual Pentec Targeted Drug Delivery Program—an intensive, hands-on, small-group educational experience focused on the practical realities of building and managing a successful pump practice.

What you'll learn:

✅ Modern dosing strategies and therapy optimization
✅ How to reduce complications and improve patient outcomes
✅ Outpatient infrastructure and workflow pearls
✅ Real-world troubleshooting and pump management
✅ Challenging and complex case discussions
✅ Practical management of targeted drug delivery

I'll be joining Dr. Suvar and an outstanding faculty of experienced colleagues to share the lessons we've learned from managing some of the most complex cancer pain, chronic pain, and spasticity patients in the country.

This isn't a lecture series.

This is the real-world playbook for modern targeted drug delivery.

📩 Space is intentionally limited to maximize interaction and hands-on learning.

To learn more or reserve your spot, email: [email protected]

06/25/2026

🚨 Colon Cancer Is Rising... Especially in Younger Adults. Why? 🚨

One of the few cancers becoming more common in people under 50 is colorectal cancer.

Why, the short answer is: we don't know for certain. Researchers believe it's likely due to a combination of lifestyle, environmental, and possibly microbiome-related factors rather than a single cause.

The good news?

It's also one of the most preventable—and most treatable—cancers when caught early.

Here are a few facts everyone should know:

✅ Start screening at age 45 if you're at average risk.
✅ Start earlier if you have a family history of colon cancer or certain risk factors.
✅ Colonoscopy remains the gold standard because it can detect cancer and remove precancerous polyps before they become cancer.
✅ New blood-based screening tests may be an option for some people who are unable or unwilling to undergo a colonoscopy—but if a blood test is positive, a colonoscopy is still necessary.

Your daily habits matter, too.

Small lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk:
🥗 Eat more whole foods and fiber
🚭 Don't smoke
🍷 Limit alcohol
🍭 Cut back on processed foods and added sugars
💧 Drink clean, filtered water when possible
🏃 Stay physically active and maintain a healthy weight

Early detection saves lives.

💬 Read the first comment to learn the warning signs of colon cancer and what screening option may be right for you. Share this with someone you love—it could save a life.