William H Nealon MD

Matthew J. Weiss, MD, FACS, is deputy physician-in-chief and director of the surgical oncology program at Northwell Cancer Institute. He's a board-certified surgeon specializing in pancreas and liver diseases.With a relentless work ethic and strong desire to help people, Dr. Weiss always knew he wanted to be a doctor. "I picked a field that allows me to tackle difficult problems and truly make an impact," he says.Dr. Weiss completed his residency in general surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and was dual fellowship trained in surgical oncology and hepatobiliary surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He was previously chief of hepatobiliary surgery at Johns Hopkins, where he was also director of the Pancreas and Liver Multidisciplinary Clinics and the complex general surgical oncology fellowship. He also performed the first robotic Whipple at Johns Hopkins University. Joining Northwell in 2019, Dr. Weiss created a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, geneticists, and other specialists who collaborate to create unique treatment plans for patients across the health system. "Every cancer is different, and every patient is different," he says. "Communication among multiple providers is the best way to ensure you're treating the entire person, properly," he says. Dr. Weiss's team also works with scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research to develop and run groundbreaking clinical trials. An international leader in both liver and pancreas surgery, Dr. Weiss has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications in the field, and he's currently a professor of surgery and oncology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. "Understanding both the science of the disease and the technological aspect of surgery is so important," he says. Dr. Weiss focuses on using cancer genetics to help find the right surgical approach for patients. When possible, he operates robotically using small incisions for faster healing, so patients don't have to wait as long to receive additional therapies that can improve outcomes. With recent advancements in the field, Dr. Weiss has been able to successfully perform high-risk surgeries that were turned down by other institutions. "Being a surgeon is a tremendous responsibility, and I don't take it lightly," he says. "I truly and deeply care about my patients and their families-I get to know them as people and am there throughout their entire journey. That's what I'm most proud of as a doctor."

Diana Martins-Welch, MD, is a palliative medicine specialist and the director of supportive oncology at Northwell Health Cancer Institute's Monter Cancer Center. She provides outpatient palliative care to people who have cancer and are experiencing symptoms of their illness or treatment side effects, such as nausea, appetite loss, insomnia, anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue."Our team provides a holistic approach to palliative medicine that assesses and helps the whole person," says Dr. Martins-Welch. As part of her care, she prescribes medications to combat a number of symptoms, and may refer patients to supportive therapies like acupuncture, physical therapy, and mental health services. She also specializes in creating treatment plans using medicinal cannabis to manage loss of appetite, nausea, pain and other symptoms.Dr. Martins-Welch became interested in oncology during her first year of medical school at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, shortly after her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Her interaction with the palliative care team that cared for her mother was so impactful she decided to do an elective in this field in her final year of school. "On day one of my palliative care rotation, I knew it was the path for me," she says. She received her internal medicine residency training, followed by hospice and palliative medicine fellowship training at Northwell.Dr. Martins-Welch works with a team of providers, including oncologists, nurse practitioners, mental health professionals, social workers, chaplains and others to provide optimal interdisciplinary care to her patients.Dr. Martins-Welch is an assistant professor of medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, as well as a member of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the American College of Physicians. She sits on the Northwell Health Opioid Management Steering Committee and leads the health system's Medicinal Cannabis Workgroup. In addition, she is the site principal investigator for an NIH-funded grant, a multicenter study on advance care planning for older adults with cancer.For Dr. Martins-Welch, the connection she feels with her patients is one of the most rewarding parts of her job. "In doing this work I honor my mother each day," she says. "I can empathize with patients and their families in a personal way."