RIP Dr. Jerri Neilsen FitzGerald

Dr. Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, who diagnosedand treated her own breast cancer before a dramatic rescue from theSouth Pole, has died. She was 57.   Her husband, ThomasFitzGerald, said she died Tuesday at their home in Southwick, Mass. Hercancer had been in remission until it returned in August 2005, he saidWednesday.  

She was the only doctor among 41 staff at theNational Science Foundation’s Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station inwinter 1999 when she discovered a lump in her breast. At first, shedidn’t tell anyone, but the burden became too much to bear. . . .    Rescuewas out of the question. Because of the extreme weather conditions, thestation is closed to the outside world for the winter. She had nochoice but to treat the disease herself, with help from colleagues shetrained to care for her and U.S.-based doctors she stayed in touch withvia satellite e-mail. . . .

Nielsen FitzGerald spent the last decade speakingaround the world about the cancer and how it changed her life, and alsoworked as roving ER doctor in hospitals all over the Northeast.   “Shefought bravely, she was able to make the best of what life andcircumstance gave her, and she had the most resilience I have ever seenin anyone,” said her husband. “She fought hard and she foughtvaliantly.” The couple would have celebrated their third anniversarynext week. . . .