D.O.
Medical Oncologist
Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Downers Grove, IL
Internal Medicine – Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Medical Oncology – East Tennessee State University, Johnson City
American Medical Student Association's End of Life Care – Chicago, IL
Medical Oncology – American Board of Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine – American Board of Internal Medicine
As a medical oncologist at City of Hope® Cancer Center Chicago since 2013, Laura Farrington, DO, knew she was born to be an oncologist at an early age after helping to care for family members with cancer and having a strong desire to help people facing the disease live a better quality of life.
“I like building strong relationships with my patients,” Dr. Farrington says. “I also like knowing that I can treat my patients and improve their quality of life.”
As a medical oncologist specializing in a wide range of cancer types, Dr. Farrington's goal is to empower her patients by helping them understand their disease and treatment options so they can make informed decisions about their care. “To me, patient-empowered care means choices,” she says. “A physician should not just tell patients what to do, but help them decide which path is best for them.”
Her role as a medical oncologist allows her to develop positive relationships with her patients, listening to their needs and treating them with a whole-patient approach to improve the length and quality of their lives.
“I tell my patients my job is to treat your cancer and help you feel well,” she says. “Their job is to live their lives.”
In addition to treating cancer, she also takes care of palliative patients' needs, ensuring that, regardless of diagnosis or outcome, they receive the care they need.
“Part of what a physician does is help the patient understand a disease and its treatment,” she says “Another aspect of what a physician needs to do is understand what's important to each patient, to cater recommendations to their specific needs.”
Board certified in medical oncology, Dr. Farrington is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Connective Tissue Oncology Society.
As a physician-scientist, she has been a primary Investigator on several studies focused on targeted therapies for various cancer types, with several more studies in the pipeline.
“In the time I've been at City of Hope, there have been huge leaps forward with innovations in treatment that continue to help us prolong and improve our patients' quality of life,” says Dr. Farrington.
Outside of City of Hope, Dr. Farrington enjoys volunteering for various organizations and spending time with her four children, especially by spending time outside, hiking, swimming and stand-up paddleboarding.