Becoming the Nurse I Needed: Lessons From Cancer, Compassion, and Nursing School

When I enrolled in nursing school, I never imagined I’d be learning about breast cancer in my anatomy and physiology class the same week I was diagnosed with it. That coincidence marked the beginning of a journey that would reshape my understanding of oncology care—not just from textbooks, but from the infusion chair.

I had worked as a medical assistant for years, supporting patients through fear, missed appointments, and life-changing diagnoses. One patient in particular—a woman who had missed 7 appointments—changed my life. I helped her navigate every barrier and stood beside her when she was diagnosed with cancer. That moment made me realize I wanted to do more. I wanted to become a nurse.

With encouragement from my manager, I enrolled at Nightingale College, a distance-based nursing program. During my first semester, I received my own diagnosis: breast cancer. I work with breast cancer surgeons, so I had a clinical sense of what was coming. But nothing prepares you for hearing those words.

Chemotherapy began in April. I attended webinars during infusions, listened to lectures on long drives to appointments, and studied through nausea, fatigue, and chemo fog. I failed a statistics quiz just days after undergoing a double mastectomy and considered dropping out. But my counselor checked in, reminded me I wasn’t alone, and encouraged me to try again. I did—and I scored 91%. Every quiz since then: 100%.

This experience taught me that oncology nursing is about more than clinical knowledge. It’s about presence, empathy, and advocacy. I’ve learned how small gestures—like explaining that urine may turn red after chemotherapy or green after a radiation dye—can ease fear and build trust.

Patient Care Tips From Both Sides of the Chair

• Normalize side effects: Patients often feel alarmed by unexpected symptoms. A simple explanation—like why urine changes color—can reduce anxiety and build trust
• Check in regularly: A quick call or message can make a patient feel seen. It was my counselor’s check-in that kept me from dropping out
• Encourage self-advocacy: I learned I could ask for additional pretreatments and posttreatments to manage chemo symptoms. Nurses can empower patients to speak up
• Support routines: Encouraging hydration, walking, skincare, and small joys can help patients maintain a sense of control and dignity
• Educate families too: Cancer affects entire households. Helping families understand treatment plans and emotional needs is part of holistic care

I hope to specialize in wound care and work in general surgery, helping women with breast cancer navigate their journeys. I want to ensure patients understand their care, feel supported, and know they are not alone.

Nursing school has not been easy, but it has been transformative. My daughter, who wants to become an MRI technician, has learned from this too. She understands the importance of showing up for others and protecting the vulnerable.

Cancer didn’t stop me. It taught me. And when I become a nurse, I’ll carry those lessons with me—every patient, every shift, every day.