Dr. Tower brings her expertise and approachable demeanor to patient care at Breast Associates of Texas. Breast Associates of Texas was launched by Dr. Matthew Cavey and Sara Cavey of Texas Radiotherapy.
Dr. Tower is a fellowship-trained and board-certified Breast Surgical Oncologist who specializes in innovative and advanced surgical techniques treating high-risk, benign, and malignant breast diseases. She has made significant contributions to breast research, having published her findings in numerous peer-reviewed journals and textbooks.
Let’s learn more about Dr. Tower:
- Where are you from? Where did you go to school?
I grew up in Paris, Texas. It’s a small town, but it’s actually the second biggest “Paris”! We have an Eiffel Tower there, but ours has a cowboy hat on it.
I did my General Surgery Residency at University of North Texas Health Science Center/Plaza Medical Center in Fort Worth and my fellowship training in Breast Surgical Oncology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I went there to be part of breast cancer training history and was one of the last trained by the renowned expert in breast cancer surgery, Dr. Thomas Julian.
- What would you have done if you hadn’t become a doctor?
I always say that if I weren’t a surgeon, I would have become a teacher. That’s why I’ve been in academics for over a decade and now am teaching at Texas A&M. Through teaching, I learn a lot from the students and, in medicine, you have to be a lifelong learner. It helps me stay up to date on everything, especially when you’re around medical students because they will “fact check” me!
- Who has influenced you the most in your career?
My mentor was Dr. Thomas Julian. I was one of the last fellows he trained and was able to be part of history with him. He always believed in me and always pushed me to do my best. He helped me build my career.
When I had my second baby, I named him Hobbes as an homage to Dr. Julian, because he loved the Calvin & Hobbes comic strip. After my fellowship, he gave me the last comic strip Calvin & Hobbes created which ends with “It’s a magical world, Hobbes ol’ buddy, let’s go exploring.” It meant a lot to me. I thought of this comic on my flight from Pittsburgh back home to Texas to begin my career and try to live my life by it daily.
- What made you want to partner with Texas Radiotherapy and Dr. Cavey?
Giving the right, expert care is important to me, which means partnering with people who provide equally great care. I’ve worked with Dr. Cavey for over 10 years, and I know that he is an expert in his field and treats his patients like a member of his family. I’ve always felt very comfortable with him and his equally great wife, Sara Cavey.
- What makes Breast Associates of Texas different?
It’s important to me to treat my patients like family. I’m treating my neighbors, the people I go to church with, and the people that live a couple streets over in the community I trained in and love. It is a privilege, and I also pride myself in going full force for my patients. I’m known to be aggressive and work fast, trying to get them information, and initiating individualized treatment quickly.
- What’s your professional motto?
Turn you can’t into you can. I’m a female surgeon, and I’ve been told so many times you can’t, but you don’t get into these positions by being passive and giving up easily. Anytime I’m working with medical students and residents I always tell them whenever people doubt you or you doubt yourself that’s when you really have to work even harder.
- What do you like to do in your free time?
Nobody believes it, but I love to sit at home! Every Friday night, my husband and my two boys and I, all go to Chick-Fil-A as a family, and then, we get Dairy Queen blizzards. Then the four of us and our dog, Whoopsie Daisy, all crawl into bed and watch a Disney movie. Besides being in the OR, that’s really my happy place!
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