Doctor cuts hair in empathy with friend
Merilee McGinness, whose parents, Ed and Ruth McGinness live in Aulne, has been a surgeon in Lawrence for 19 years. About 80 percent of her work involves women's breasts.
She is a graduate of Marion High School and Kansas University School of Medicine.
McGinness, 52, does surgeries at Lawrence Memorial Hospital twice a week, and does less complicated procedures in her office.
About two years ago, a friend of hers, Debbie Meyer, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
McGinness delivered the disheartening news to her in person and spent the following months devoted to understanding what her friend was going through.
After three surgeries and three rounds of chemotherapy, Meyer was emotionally drained and had lost her self-esteem. When her hair began to fall out in clumps, she hit bottom.
"I could see Debbie was withdrawing from her family, her friends, me, and everyone who loved her," McGinness said.
Meyer decided to go to a beauty salon and have her hair cropped short. That's when the doctor decided secretly to go to another salon and do the same thing.
Meyer was shocked to see McGinness' haircut, but it had the desired result. She realized that she still was beautiful, even as her friend was beautiful in spite of the loss of hair.
McGinness kept her hair short throughout most of Meyer's ordeal, even shaving her head at one point. She spent a lot of time with Meyer, so much so that friends called them the "M&Ms."
McGinness saw up close all the side effects Meyer went through — mouth sores, nausea, a bad taste in the mouth, and days on end with no energy, to name a few.
Meyer's treatment included five more rounds of chemotherapy followed by 33 rounds of radiation. It was concluded in March.
Both women's hair is growing back, Meyer is regaining her strength, and their friendship continues stronger than ever.
"Debbie's been through a lot of trauma over the past five years and I've watched her grow from a cocoon to a butterfly into a strong woman and a wonderful friend," McGinness said.
Meyer no doubt would say her doctor and friend went above and beyond what was expected of her and is the best friend anybody could ask for.
(This story was condensed from an article written by Bill Snead, "Short cut to recovery," which appeared in the Oct. 15 issue of Lawrence Journal-World)
