Dr. Susan Love, an American surgeon who challenged paternalism in the medical establishment, changed the way breast cancer is researched and treated.
- Died: July 2, 2023 (Who else died on July 2?)
- Details of death: Died in Los Angeles of leukemia at the age of 75.
- We invite you to share condolences for Dr. Susan Love in our Guest Book.
Susan Love’s legacy
When Dr. Love was in pre-med, her adviser told her that she would just go home and have babies, so a medical degree would be wasted on her and her spot in class should go to a young man instead. Dr. Love ignored that advice and went on to revolutionize how breast cancer is researched, diagnosed, and treated, saving countless lives in the process.
Dr. Love earned her medical degree from SUNY Downstate Medical School and did her surgical residency at Boston’s Beth Israel Medical Center. In 1988, she helped found the Faulkner Breast Center at Faulkner Hospital and then created what is now known as the Revlon UCLA Breast Center in 1992. She soon became a major player in the movement against breast cancer in the early 1990s. She wrote the widely read “Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book” in 1990, helped organize the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC), served on the board of the Young Survival Coalition, and more.
Dr. Love was an advocate of helping patients understand the science behind breast cancer treatment and of changing paternalistic treatment of women by oncologists. Her approach to breast cancer surgery attempted to preserve as much tissue as possible, helped bring attention to the risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal women, and more.
In her personal life, Dr. Love also advocated for LGBTQIA+ rights. In 1993, she and her partner, Dr. Helen Cooksey, won a case in front of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts that gave them approval for the first joint adoption by a same sex couple in the state.
Notable quote
“My pre-med adviser said to me that if I went to medical school, I would be killing some boy because he would have to go to Vietnam. And you’re just going to get the education, and then you’re going to stay home and have babies, and it’ll be totally wasted.”—from an interview on All Things Considered, NPR
Tributes to Susan Love
Full obituary: The Washington Post
