Finding the
Right Doctor:
Riverview Medical Center
It Can Feel
Like Fate
Rumson resident Dawn Stout met an exceptional doctor during a chance encounter one Fourth of July. So when she later needed surgery, she knew exactly where to turn.
“Women in the area need to know about Dr. Manuel,” Dawn says. “He is a gifted surgeon, a sincere person, and really wants to make a difference in his patients’ lives.”
D
Michael R. Manuel, M.D.
Board certified in Obstetrics/Gynecology
and Gynecologic Oncology
Neptune • 732-897-7944
chance encounter with Dr. Manuel happened for a reason,
and I knew I was going to be in good hands.”
Dawn met with Dr. Manuel, who scheduled a CT scan
of her pelvic region at Riverview to determine the status
of the masses. An ovarian cancer blood test revealed very
low cancerous cell levels for both masses, but couldn’t
completely rule out cancer. Surgery would be necessary.
“Growing up in the area and growing up with Riverview
as a part of my life immediately made me feel at ease
when I found out I would need surgery,” says Dawn.
In March, Dr. Manuel performed minimally invasive
laparoscopic surgery on Dawn at Riverview to remove the
masses and have them tested for cancer.
Postsurgical tests revealed that the masses on her ovary
and uterus were benign. “From the moment I walked into
Riverview to the day I went home, each and every person
I encountered went above and beyond the scope of their
jobs,” says Dawn. “I am forever grateful to Dr. Manuel and
Riverview for being a part of my life.” l — Tom Paolella
An Ovarian Cancer Survivor Shares Her Story Online
Barbara, a Rumson resident, was stunned when she was diagnosed with uterine and ovarian cancer. Like
Dawn, she turned to Dr. Manuel for care. Hear Barbara tell her story at MeridianCancerCareNJ.com.
Meridian HealthViews • September/October 2012
awn Stout, 51, has lived in Rumson most of her
adult life. She was born at Riverview Medical
Center, as was her daughter Sarah, now 25.
“Riverview has been part of our family for as long as I can
remember,” says Dawn.
On July 4, 2011, Dawn and Sarah attended the Rumson
fireworks, as they do every year. Dawn started chatting
with Michael Manuel, M.D. He explained that he was
new to the area, having just moved from the West Coast,
and had been hired as a gynecological oncologist with
Riverview Medical Center.
“From the very moment I started talking with
Dr. Manuel, I knew he was a very special man,” says Dawn.
“His demeanor and the passion with which he spoke
about his career were inspiring.”
Dawn forgot about her chance encounter with
Dr. Manuel until February 2012, when she went in for her
annual checkup with Robert Farber, M.D., an OB/GYN
affiliated with Riverview.
During the exam, Dr. Farber felt a large mass on Dawn’s
right ovary, as well as a very large uterine mass. Dr. Farber
recommended Dawn go see Dr. Manuel, who is affiliated
with Meridian Cancer Care. It wasn’t until Dawn went to the
Meridian Health Web site to research Dr. Manuel that she
realized it was the same man she had met six months earlier.
“I didn’t even need to think about researching my
options any further,” says Dawn. “I am convinced that my
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