Josefa Azcueta, RN, OCN, and Deborah Hamolsky, RN, MS, OCN
Adapted for the Canadian edition by Leslie Thompson, RN, MScN
Margaret was a 42-year-old mother of two. She discovered a
lump in her breast a few months after she had learned Breast Self-Examination techniques from Nancy, a nurse at the local
Breast Examination Training (BET) center. After mammography
and fine needle aspiration of the lump, she saw her doctor, who confirmed the diagnosis of cancer. After a Tumor Board presentation, her oncologist reviewed and explained all the
options to Margaret and her husband. The decision was made
to go ahead with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
After her mastectomy, Margaret met nurses like Maria who changed her dressings, gave her medications and sat on the
bed and held her hand when she cried in the middle of the night.
