Nurse navigator

Unique program guides breast cancer patients through disease By Brett Bentley Special to The Union Hearing that you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer can be difficult even for the toughest of people. For Jeannie Hall, the words cancer caused her to go numb. In July, the Penn Valley resident learned she had breast cancer. But the diagnosis was not a complete surprise to her, thanks to her interaction with the nurse navigator program through Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Breast Imaging Center. As soon as a lump was found in one of Hall's breasts, she was introduced to Linda Aeschliman, a registered nurse at the Breast Imaging Center. Aeschliman is one of two nurse navigators who's job it is to help guide patients through the journey of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. "She kept me from being afraid and uncertain... [read full story]