Dr. Davies is an amazing doctor. She was very knowledgeable and made me feel like I was in very capable hands. Her approach and “design” of chemo treatment in response to my very aggressive form of breast cancer, saved my life. She was also very compassionate and kind. I would most definitely put my life in her hands again if my cancer ever comes back.

Lynn Wiswell

Submitted Sept. 3, 2022

Terrible oncologist. Misleads patients and is NOT patient centered. Avoid this oncologist like the plague.

Submitted Aug. 30, 2022

This is Tania’s husband, Alex. She passed on Sunday, Feb 28, at 9:03PM. Our son, and I held her hand while she died in our living room.

When her GP, Dr. Barghavan, refused to give her the colonoscopy she requested at age 48—which she begged for because her aunt had just died of colon cancer—he cost her 30 years of her life. This sort of medical arrogance and a refusal to treat patients as partners kills thousands every year. It killed the kindest person I’ve known.

By the time we came to you, you were faced with an impossible task. But your approach was similar. You were the expert, standard of care only requires checking boxes, and the patient was an obstacle to be managed—not a partner.

When I asked about exploring Dr. Robert Gatenby’s novel approaches to using evolutionary dynamics in cancer and cancer drug resistance as a way to make existing chemo drugs more effective, you dismissed me with the patently absurd “cancer doesn’t develop drug resistance.”

When we asked for metformin because of the study by Jinye Xie et al (“Metformin selectively inhibits metastatic colorectal cancer with the KRAS mutation by intracellular accumulation through silencing MATE1,” https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1918845117) you refused to even consider it—though metformin is the most prescribed drug on the planet with no downside.

Even something as stupid as a joke regarding CO2 levels increasing the need to excrete, you dismissed it out of hand, 100% certain even though it’s not your field of expertise. And Tania wasn’t constipated anyway. The bloat was due to ascites, not constipation, and she needed draining.

Primum non nocere shouldn’t be warped to create an act-omission distinction that kills patients just as dead as a mistaken action. In a case like Tania’s, doing nothing is doing harm. At least you could have tried.

After our first meeting, I pushed her to change oncologists. She asked me not to come to more meetings, because she didn’t want the friction. By the last few months she dreaded talking to you and agreed, but it was too late to change. But she was always too kind to tell you how frustrated your condescending approach made her feel.

When I suggested that simply being a bit more positive might help with outcomes, your response was “I want to be realistic.” Maybe you call your approach realism. I call it medical arrogance and iatrogenic harm. If your approach to your patients is “I’m the expert, patients are dumb, and they’re going to die anyway” then maybe you should consider retiring or at least shifting out of oncology.

At the very least, please consider treating patients as partners rather than as objects with an annoying habit of wanting a say in their own treatment.

Tania used to soften my edges and prevent me from sending letters like this. But she’s gone. And since you don't give your patients any ability to contact you other than leaving messages through the BC Cancer general number, I can't send this privately.

Submitted March 1, 2022

Literally the worst oncologist ever. PLEASE SAVE YOU/YOUR FAMILY MEMBER'S LIFE AND NEVER GO SEE HER. SHE HAS NO CARE, NO KNOWLEDGE AND WILL NEVER HELP YOU!!!!!!!!

Submitted Feb. 14, 2022

Impossible to get a hold of via phone, email, anything. Zero attempt to connect with patients. I feel for anyone who is under her “care” and suggest they switch to another oncologist.

Submitted April 10, 2021

Shows up unapologetically 75 minutes late to appointment she scheduled; dismissive of patient concerns about side-effects of chemo drugs. Didn’t review my file for updates from other specialists; denied any knowledge or relevance of cardiologist’s input regarding drugs’ effects on heart function; did not prescribe anti-nausea meds prior to infusions and advised patient to try Gravol instead. Impolite, adversarial, unhelpful. Seeking a new oncologist who will take care to ensure my healthy cardiovascular system is not damaged due to her lack of professional care or consideration.

Submitted Oct. 4, 2019

Unable to listen to patients needs at all. Not open to educated patients.

Submitted April 10, 2015

A very good Dr , the best. ........Suzanne E.Golka .....I give 110%

Submitted Feb. 26, 2015