Community Leader

CALL DR. JACK SAUX ON HIS CELL, AND YOU’LL QUICKLY REALIZE THAT HE’S NOT YOUR TYPICAL ONCOLOGIST. IN FACT, HE’S NOT YOUR TYPICAL DOCTOR.

THE PIRATE ONCOLOGIST

By Liesel Schmidt

Afriendly-looking man with kind eyes; long, greying hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck; and a beard, Saux doesn’t quite fit expectation, nor would he be type-cast as a medical professional. That said, all of it works in his favor, making him someone his patients not only trust—but also absolutely love.

As someone who was interested in becoming a doctor since he was a child, Saux is following a lifelong passion. Likewise, oncology was a seed planted in him at an early age. “My next-door neighbor when I was growing up in Metairie was an oncologist. My best friend in the neighborhood developed childhood leukemia, and I attended treatments with him at Saint Jude Hospital in Memphis on several occasions,” Saux explains. “My grandmother also had cancer and lived with us during the latter part of her life.”

Following the path that seemed natural to him, Saux got his degree in biology followed by graduate school studies in marine biology, during which time he found that he was fascinated by the way toxins affected biologic systems—particularly marine life. “The molecular processes of how these toxins work is similar to the way that chemotherapy works to kill cancer cells,” Saux says.

He went on to LSU Medical School in New Orleans, receiving a medical doctorate in 1991 before completing his residency in internal medicine through LSU at Earl K. Long Medical Center in Baton Rouge. He then began practicing primary care in Assumption Parish, working in many emergency rooms and providing house calls to patients all over South Louisiana. After a few years, he decided to continue his studies and completed his fellowship in medical oncology at Tulane University Medical Center in New Orleans in 1998. After, that he began practice in Saint Tammany Parish as a medical oncologist and hematologist, partnering with other oncologists to form Northshore Oncology Associates in affiliation with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

All those years invested, and Saux still approaches his work with the fiery passion of a resident. “The interaction with patients is priceless— sometimes the littlest thing you do helps someone so much, and you don’t even realize it,” he says. “Occasionally, you see amazing responses to treatment. The development of new drugs and how they work is fascinating, and the science associated with the treatment of cancer continues to capture my interest.”

Still, there are so many challenges to his care. “Keeping up with the fast pace of research and providing cutting edge care to my patients in a community setting is one of the biggest challenges as well as one of the most satisfying accomplishments of my medical practice,” he says. “COVID-19 has been the other greatest challenge since I have started practicing medicine and has dramatically delayed cancer screenings, causing a spike in cancer diagnoses at this time in our area.”

As serious as his work is, Saux does bring some levity to the practice. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see him dressed up like a pirate— something that has earned him the nickname “pirate oncologist.”

“The pirate parties started after dressing up for Halloween in the office, and then my 50th birthday party was a pirate party after that my friends Steve and Laura Ahrons—owners of the Columbia Street Taproom and Seiler Bar—and I came up with the idea to turn it into a fundraiser,” says Saux. “We raised money for a few different nonprofits and made it an annual tradition until two years ago due to COVID. We hope to resume pirating in 2022,” says Saux, who has also come to work dressed as a pink fairy, a butterfly, a moth, a dragonfly, a satyr, a clown, Cupid, a gentleman turkey… “I literally have hundreds of costumes,” he says with a laugh.

The response he gets from patients is, of course, what drives him. “Ninety-nine percent of the time, I get a positive response,” he says. “All I’m looking for is a smile—something to distract them from what is a really a dark, scary, and difficult situation. Then we get down to business in treating their cancer.”

Saux is also deeply involved in the community through fundraising events, street parties, concerts, and other activities around town. “Because I’ve been here a while, and I am outgoing and gregarious as well as somewhat of a character, I am nearly a local celebrity,” he admits. “It’s quite humbling to have people approach you and tell you how much they appreciate your efforts and how you helped them or someone they know.”

Social NorthShore you do an amazing job! I never used to advertise a lot but I love what you do and all the good causes you showcase. Keep it up!”

- MARTHA E. STEWART, M.D.