Hearing the words “heart failure” or “cancer” are frightening. For patients, waiting is one of the hardest parts—for the results of a screening or test, the next appointment, or for information about the surgery or recovery.
That is exactly how Alex Maxwell felt when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Then, Alex and her family were introduced to Michelle, a Patient Navigator at SHN who is dedicated to guiding patients through their cancer care journey.
“Michelle became a part of our family during Alex’s treatment,” said Kristin Maxwell, Alex’s mother. “I can’t imagine how difficult it would have been to navigate without her. She was always there and relieved our stress and anxiety by making sure all of Alex’s appointments were scheduled. She connected all of the healthcare providers and organized the many appointments to help Alex get the treatment and care she needed.”
Now, thanks to a donation of $5 million from the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation, more patients will have Patient Navigators to guide them on their care journey. The new Weston Patient Navigation Program is available in five areas of care to support patients with a complex or life-threatening disease, including heart failure, severe wounds, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal and other cancers.
Patient Care Manager Pamela Bonsell oversees vascular surgery and has hired a Patient Navigator to support patients with severe wounds. She says the navigator role has made a huge difference in decreasing patients’ length of stay and improving patient satisfaction.
“Our Patient Navigator is the first point of contact for patients with wounds and sees them every day,” Pamela said. “Having her on the unit helps patients to fully understand their health and the next steps in their care plan.”
These additional navigators will allow more patients to have a dedicated champion in their corner to help ensure every facet of their healthcare journey is manageable.
Sadly, Alex passed away the summer of 2023 after a short but brave battle with breast cancer.
“Even though we lost Alex, our entire family can’t thank Michelle and the team at SHN enough for what they did for her and our family,” continued Kristin. “It’s incredible to know the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation is supporting more patient navigators, because Michelle may have been the most important health professional in Alex’s healthcare journey.”
While undergoing treatment, Alex shared her gratitude for Michelle and the need for patient navigators in a letter to SHN. “Prior to meeting Michelle, things felt like they were moving in slow motion. Once I met her, I finally felt like I had someone in my corner and things started moving quickly. Without her I would have been lost.”