Hope Menninger, MMS, PA-C

What influenced your decision to become a physician assistant?

I began my professional journey in health care as a hospital chaplain. Working in a medical environment suited me, and I found it meaningful to help people cope with adversity. What I valued about this role was that it allowed me to see the person behind every patient. Yet I grew frustrated that I didn’t fully understand what people were going through from a medical perspective. My eagerness to bridge that gap in knowledge was what motivated me to become a physician assistant (PA). It’s rewarding to now be in a position where I can support patients’ physical health as well as their emotional well-being.

What personal experiences have informed your approach to care?

When I was 18, my mother died from breast cancer. Looking back, it was an experience I didn’t feel prepared for. Part of my motivation in becoming a physician assistant was a desire to give patients and families as much agency as possible in what can feel like an out-of-control situation. One way I help people traverse the unknowns of cancer is by listening and making sure their questions are answered. My philosophy of care can be summed up by a quote from Henri J.M. Nouwen, a Catholic priest, professor and author: “Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.” For me, this means I walk alongside patients and families through every facet of their experience with cancer, through both joy and pain, whether they are working toward healing or facing end of life.

Provider Background

Specialty: Hematology Oncology

Multiple myeloma, other plasma cell disorders
I am a board-certified physician assistant who specializes in treating patients with multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders. These diseases occur when plasma cells, a type of white blood cell, become malignant and harm bones or bodily organs. My background includes experience in providing both inpatient and outpatient care as well as working in benign hematology. Before becoming a physician assistant, I became certified in clinical pastoral education and served as a hospital chaplain.

Diseases Treated