From Diagnosis to Survivorship

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1 From Diagnosis to Survivorship Breast Care at IU Health North Hospital

2 A road map to guide you through your journey with breast cancer Your Nurse Navigator Mary Jane MacCartie, BSN, RN, CBCN is a nurse with special training in breast cancer who is available to help you through your journey from diagnosis to survivorship. She will give you information about your diagnosis and will answer your questions or find the right person to answer your questions. Mary Jane can be reached at She checks her messages throughout the day Monday through Friday, so if you don t reach her, please leave a message. Your Social Worker Jill Dodson, LSW, LMHC, LMFT is here to give you the support you need throughout your breast cancer journey. Jill has 10 years of counseling experience with both adults and children, and she is available to meet with you, your family members or support people at no charge. She can help you and your loved ones cope with the sadness and anxiety that sometimes comes with a breast cancer diagnosis. She also has resources for financial help. In addition, Jill runs the Wellness Series, a free monthly program that includes speakers and complementary therapies for patients, survivors and their guests. You can reach Jill at

3 Your First Visit After you learn you have breast cancer, you will have a long visit (an hour or more) with your surgeon. Your surgeon will examine you (unless she has recently done that) and then you will move to a consult room. There you will learn about your cancer and the choices you have for treatment. At this visit, you and your surgeon will start making a plan to fight your breast cancer. This is an important time to bring your main support person (or people). Support and Resources After meeting with your surgeon, you and your support people will meet with Mary Jane MacCartie, your nurse navigator, and Jill Dodson, your oncology resource social worker. They will answer your questions, discuss your concerns, and give you important information at that time. Feel free to reach out to them at anytime during your breast cancer journey. After the First Visit After your first visit with your surgeon, you will know a lot more about your cancer and your treatment options. Breast cancer treatment is designed for each individual patient and can last for a few weeks or several months. Different women need different treatments, and you and your surgeon will determine what option is best for you. At the end of your first visit, you may need more tests before you can make a final plan. You also may need time to think, read and talk to others before deciding on your treatment plan. If you are considering surgery to remove your whole breast or breasts (mastectomy), you will be able to meet with a plastic surgeon and discuss breast reconstruction (building a new breast surgically). Some women start their treatment with chemotherapy rather than surgery. If this is the case for you, we will set up a meeting with an oncologist (chemotherapy doctor).

4 Imaging Technicians Making a Plan Once all the information about your cancer is available, you and your surgeon will choose the most appropriate treatment plan for you. Our goal is to give you all the help and information you need to make the choices that are best for you. Please call Mary Jane or Jill if you have questions or are struggling with these decisions. They have knowledge, experience and resources that can help you and your support person (people) throughout your journey. No matter which treatment option is selected, we will schedule you as quickly as possible. If You Are Having Chemotherapy First When you are nearly done with your chemotherapy treatment, we will have you meet with your surgeon to discuss surgery options. If you need more tests, we will schedule them for you, and we ll give you time to think, read and talk to others before making a surgery decision. If you are considering surgery to remove your whole breast or breasts (mastectomy), we will make an appointment for you with a plastic surgeon to discuss breast reconstruction.

5 Before Surgery About a week before your surgery date, you will have some appointments to prepare you for surgery. You will meet with our Breast Care Nurse, Mary Jane, to learn what to expect on your surgery day. She will discuss the care you ll need at home after your surgery, give you some exercises to keep your arm and shoulder healthy after surgery, and answer any questions that you may have. You will also have a short meeting with your surgeon to sign pre-surgery paperwork. You should bring your after-surgery support person to this visit. On that same day, you may have an appointment in our Pre-Admission Testing department where you will have tests or a check-up to make sure you are as fit as possible for surgery. Pre-Admission Testing

6 After Surgery After you go home from the hospital, Mary Jane will call to check on you. Your surgeon will call you as soon as your pathology (information about your cancer from surgery) is ready so that you can discuss the next part of your plan. You will see your surgeon for a post-surgery check up, and you may have a visit with a rehabilitation specialist to help you with your recovery. We will also make appointments for you with the specialist doctors who will help you decide on, and guide you through, the rest of your treatments. Feel free to call our office or Mary Jane anytime during your treatment if you are unsure who to call or have concerns. Rehabilitation Therapist

7 After Treatment When you are done with your breast cancer treatment, you will have a Survivorship Visit with your surgeon and Julia Whiteker, MSN, RN, AOCNS, a nurse who has special training in breast cancer survivor care. During the visit, Julia and your surgeon will help you with any problems you are having and will share information about what to expect as a survivor. You will get a summary of your treatment and a plan for your follow-up care, so it is a good time to bring your main support person (or people). Your Survivorship Visit is the beginning of your care as a breast cancer survivor, though you ll continue to see your breast cancer team for several years. Julia Whiteker

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