In early 2024, during a trip to California for work, Kristy Hopewell suddenly began to experience severe lower-back pain that caused her to get up and leave the meeting she was in. By the time she got to the door, it was so excruciating that she couldn’t walk.
A visit to the local emergency room revealed that Kristy’s pain was due to a very large, 9-centimeter ovarian cyst, which had previously not caused any symptoms. The medical provider there informed Kristy that she would likely need a hysterectomy and advised her to find a doctor at home right away. She was made as comfortable as possible for her trip back to the Northern Neck of Virginia.
As soon as she was home, Kristy began a frustrating search. “I spent days trying to find a doctor anywhere within a 100-mile range, including Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg, and no one would see me,” she says. “It was going to be months before I could get an appointment.” Meanwhile, she was in pain and nervous about having another episode that would require emergency care.
Because of the size of her cyst, and a family history that included ovarian cancer, Kristy needed to see a specialist in both gynecologic surgery and cancer care. Thankfully, someone told her about Dr. William Irvin, a gynecologic oncologist with Riverside Partners in Women’s Health Oncology, who looked at her case and offered to see her within several days. The only problem? His office was two hours away.
But Kristy’s situation needed attention, so she made the drive to Riverside Cancer Care Center in Newport News. She was immediately comforted by what she found there. “I met with Dr. Irvin, and he’s just phenomenal — so down to earth,” she says. “He knew I was scared. He told me exactly what was going on, laid out all my options and explained them so well, making it very easy for me to understand. He told me what each choice would mean and explained my future risks for cancer.”
The options were to remove the ovary with the cyst on it, to remove both ovaries or to have a complete hysterectomy, which would include removing the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix. With her family history in mind and Dr. Irvin’s guidance, Kristy elected the complete hysterectomy to decrease her chances of cancer in the future.
The very next week, Kristy underwent a successful surgery at Riverside Regional Medical Center. “Dr. Irvin was amazing,” she says. “I received excellent service. Everyone showed me care and concern. And it’s so organized — that’s what I like that’s different from other experiences. You don’t have to wait for anything unless it’s necessary. And I love the use of MyChart too — sometimes I get my results before I get home!”
Kristy recovered well from her hysterectomy and, after a post-op visit with Dr. Irvin, she was released and referred to Riverside Partners in Women’s Health for her primary gynecology care. She chose the practice in Gloucester, which was closest to her — though it’s still an hour-and-a-half drive — and established care with Dr. Jerrid Neeley.
Dr. Neeley helped Kristy address the hormone changes that often accompany a hysterectomy. Although this was an unpleasant side effect at first, treatment has helped, and Kristy is still completely confident in her decision. “There are patches and pills for that, but there’s not necessarily a patch or a pill for uterine cancer,” she says.
Kristy’s first experience with Riverside was so positive that it inspired her to attend to a different health issue. “The year before, I had hurt my knee,” she says. “But I’d been putting off seeing a doctor, just because it’s hard to find someone without waiting a super long time. But now I thought, ‘Let me see if I can find a doctor at Riverside.’”
When traveling to Gloucester for gynecology appointments, Kristy noticed that Riverside also had orthopedic providers there as well. After consulting her Riverside Health MyChart app and doing some online research into patient ratings and testimonials, which were very positive, she made an appointment with Riverside Orthopedic Specialists.
“It was the same experience,” Kristy says. “Everything was organized, I didn’t have to wait and they explained everything. They took time to get to know me and understand what was bothering me. It was important to me that they really listened.”
Imaging confirmed that Kristy needed surgery to repair and remove portions of the meniscus in her right knee. She chose to schedule it around Thanksgiving 2024, and her orthopedic surgeon, Barbaro Perez, M.D., performed the minimally invasive procedure at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital in Gloucester.
“Dr. Perez did a remarkable job,” Kristy says. “I think I had the best doctor in the world. I don’t know if he has magic fingers or what, but he fixed my knee. Less than two months later, I’m already about 90% back to full use. I can walk and stand without pain, and I didn’t even have to do physical therapy because it went so well. All I did was follow the instructions they gave me. After two years of being in pain with my knee, I can finally get back to being me.”
Not only is Kristy thrilled with being pain-free, she’s also thankful to have found what she feels is a rare kind of health care. She didn’t expect to have two surgeries in one year, or to need to seek care so far from her own community, but she’s so glad that she did. And she plans to continue making the trip. “I love everything about Riverside,” Kristy says. “Everything has just been perfect, and I’ll keep driving to Gloucester. I’ll drive wherever I need to go.”