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4
BREAST
CLINIC
‘We’re going to
take care of you’
Breast cancer was the furthest thing
from Susan Milne’s mind. With a fam-
ily history of heart disease, Susan was
convinced that her greatest health
threat would be heart-related. So
when her doctor found a lump in her
breast during an annual physical this
past fall, Susan gave little thought to
it being a health concern.
But like any good patient, Susan
faithfully got her follow-up tests to
rule out any nagging suspicions.
That’s when she learned the shock-
ing news – the dime-size tumor was,
indeed, cancerous.
“I was in disbelief,” Susan says.
“That’s the last thing I expected to
hear.”
HERE TO HELP
There to explain Susan’s results, her
treatment options and next steps was
one of Saint Agnes Breast Center’s
nurse navigators – a nurse dedicated
to guiding patients and their families
through the entire breast cancer
diagnosis and treatment plan.
Knowing that a breast cancer diag-
nosis can be overwhelming, progres-
sive breast cancer programs, like the
one at Saint Agnes, are using the ex-
pertise of nurse navigators and creat-
ing a comprehensive program to
guide breast cancer patients through
the treatment process. This includes
Saint Agnes Medical Center’s newly
opened Breast Clinic, which brings
together a multidisciplinary team of
specialists who work hand-in-hand
to develop a personalized treatment
plan for each patient. The team
includes radiologists, surgeons,
medical and radiation oncologists, a
geneticist, and a nurse navigator –
all of whom play an integral role in
coordinating the most effective treat-
ment approach possible.
ALL IN ONE PLACE
For Susan, being able to meet
with her entire care team within
days of diagnosis made a world of
difference.
“It was nice to have all of my
specialists come to me on one day. I
didn’t have to run all over town and
make appointments with doctors,”
Susan says. “The whole vibe I got at
the Breast Clinic was ‘we’re going to
take care of you.’”
Breast surgeon Deborah
Gumina, MD, a member of
Susan’s care team, is a strong advo-
cate for the Breast Clinic model.
“It’s another way to take the bur-
den off patients and bring the entire
medical team together to create the
best plan of care,” Dr. Gumina says.
Within two hours, Dr. Gumina and
Susan’s entire care team had created
her personalized treatment plan –
including a second follow-up ultra-
sound, which was done on the spot.
“It was all right there,” Susan says.
“I knew the plan and I didn’t have to
wait for another appointment.”
Since then, Susan has undergone
surgery to remove the tumor and
In her free time,
Susan Milne
enjoys getting
back to one
of her favorite
hobbies –
gardening.
finished a brief series of partial breast
radiation treatments. Two weeks
later, Susan was back to work and is
now enjoying the newest addition to
her family – a new granddaughter,
Alexis.
“The word ‘cancer’ is pretty scary,”
Susan says. “But now we know it isn’t
a death sentence, since we’re able to
catch it early.”
To learn more about Saint
Agnes’ comprehensive Breast
Program, visit www.samc.com >
Women’s Services > Breast Services.
CHECK THIS OUT!
Are you due for your
annual mammogram?
Visit www.samc.com/
schedule-mammogram,
scan this code with your
smartphone, or call
559-450-5656
.
www.samc.com