“Closing One Door, Opening Another” by Dr. Brian Koffman from CLL Society

[Anastasia1]

Dear Friends and Supporters of the CLL Society,

This week Dr. Koffman shares a huge change in his life as he retires from family medicine to devote himself full time to the CLL community.

Below is his touching letter he posted on his CLLSociety blog:

Today was a monumental day for me. A huge transition.

After 38 years of caring for generations of patients as their family doctor, I retired today from direct patient care.

Bittersweet. Lots of hugs and more than a few tears.

It’s been a tremendous privilege to care for so many people, to touch so many lives.

Today, for example, I said goodbye to my 104-year-old patient, to another long time patient that I had helped decades ago out of downward spiral to reinvent herself, a married gay man who flew in from Houston to consult me one last time, a seventy-year-old who reminded me that I caught his cancer early and likely saved his life over 20 years ago, and a fellow leukemia patient that I helped with his hospitalization.

Family medicine threw me into the lives of blacks, whites, Latinos, Asians and others, newborns and the very elderly, nearly every religious group and agnostics and atheists, too, the fabulously rich and the desperately poor, the morbidly obese and the anorexic, those with poor health choices and health fanatics, many omnivores and a few fellow vegans, professional athletes, weekend warriors and couch potatoes, those with special needs, scientists and poets and painters, preachers and rabbis, musicians and dancers, lawyers and felons, students and teachers, fellow doctors, CEOs, factory workers, police and firemen, celebrities, the homeless and so many more.

I have dealt with the trivial and the deadly, often on the same day, often in the same hour.

I have shared the darkest and happiest moments in some of my patients’ lives.

I have shared birth and death, the latter, too often and too soon for so many.

I will miss all my patients dearly.

But I leave that incredible job that has so defined me for the last 4 decades to care for folks in a different way, to care for a cohort, to save lives through education, support, advocacy and research that I will be doing as I move to the CLL Society full time after 4 years of what was essentially a more than full time unpaid job.

I will now work for the CLL Society from 8:00a.m. to 6:00p.m., instead of from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., and on the weekends. More importantly, in accepting the position of Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice-President of the nonprofit CLL Society, I will no longer have to divide my energy and will be able to focus solely on how to improve the lives of my fellow CLL patients.

2019 will be an amazing year. While many CLL issues remain unsolved, and we at the CLL Society will be directly addressing those through our research efforts, the biggest issue in the CLL world is not what should be done, but getting the message out to all the patients and their doctors about what are now proven to be the best treatments.

The problem is getting out the good news.

We have always said, “Smart Patients Get Smart Care.”™

We are now adding, “No Patient Left Behind.”

I will miss the one-on-one caring that has so defined me, but I hope to make an even bigger difference by improving the lives of all those who are touched by CLL.

Stay strong.

We are all in this together.

Brian Koffman

[Name-1]

Thank Brian!

Good luck

Olga

[Sushibruno]

Thank you Dr. Koffman, you're an amazing human being.

[scarletnoir]

A brilliant letter - CLL patients are so lucky to have Dr Koffman as an advocate.

[Superdad3]

I can only speak for myself but I am sure others feel the same, to have someone so dedicated to helping others all these years and now have that person continue that effort, sharing not only the transparency of his journey with CLL but to use that knowledge to help others as they navigate through their own personal journey is something I greatly appreciate. Thank you Brian.

[Lola69]

Good luck Dr. Koffman !

Grand merci !

[Ashmom]

How much better our world is with people like him in it! I am most genuinely grateful and inspired.

Ash

[PlanetaryKim]

Excellent statement, Brian! Thanks for all you do!

[Justasheet1]

Congrats on your retirement Doc. Patient care has certainly changed. I hope this leaves you more time to do what you enjoy. Nobody’s getting any younger here 😂

Jeff

[GoldenPaint]

What a great letter! Best of luck in your new endeavors and I look forward to following this next chapter on your journey!

[Dynamite1976]

What a big change! Good luck in the transition and know that we treasure and value the expertise you bring to the CLL Society! Thank you!!

[Djike]

Congratulations! Best of luck on this new chapter and THANK YOU for all you do !

[PaulaS Volunteer]

Wishing you all the best for this new stage in your life, Dr Brian.

And THANK YOU so much for all you've done for the CLL community over many years, and for all you'll do in future.

Paula

[LynnB1947]

When I was diagnosed in 2013, I found Dr. Brian's blog, and I went back & read it from the beginning of his diagnosis & treatment. I am so grateful that Brian has shared his life & CLL experiences with us. I have been in awe of his tenacity in fighting this disease from the beginning as he has been on the cutting edge of the technology that makes my life easier (4-1/2 yrs on ibrutinib). Thank you God for Brian, guide him & protect him is often my prayer.

LB

[TerryGrigsby]

What an inspiration you are to all of us with CLL. Many thanks!

Terry

[Elliot43]

Thank you Brian Koffman

[bkoffman CLL CURE Hero]

Thanks for sharing this. I am a lucky man to have had the privilege of two such great jobs., first as a family doctor, and now as the chief medical officer at the CLL Society.