There are few things more emotionally overwhelming than hearing the words, “You have breast cancer.” For many patients, everything changes in an instant. A routine mammogram leads to more imaging, more testing and a flood of questions no one feels prepared for. Has it spread? What happens next? Am I going to be okay?
At Lowell General Hospital, breast cancer nurse navigator Kim Holman, RN, helps patients answer those questions and navigate every step of the journey. Sometimes Holman is explaining pathology results. Sometimes she’s coordinating appointments or answering questions after a long clinic visit. Often, she’s the person patients call when they need help just making sense of everything happening around them.
“It’s frightening in the beginning,” says Holman. “People are scared and nervous, and many are worried the cancer has spread. One of the first things I tell them is: We’re going to make sure you have a plan, and we’re going to walk through this together.”
That kind of reassurance can change the entire experience for patients.
“I think the biggest impact a navigator can make to a patient is peace of mind,” says Melanie Edwards, RN, Clinical Director of Cancer Services, Lowell General Hospital. “Patients know they have someone there to answer questions, advocate for them and help guide them through treatment.”
Meeting patients where they are
When Paula Harrison of Dracut, a former Lowell General Hospital employee, was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2025, Holman became one of the first people to help guide her through what came next.
“I’m an independent person, but I’m single,” says Harrison. “I remember thinking, ‘How am I going to get through this by myself?’”
For many patients, those questions begin after what was expected to be a routine mammogram. Additional imaging may lead to more testing and, ultimately, a diagnosis. That's often when Holman first meets patients face-to-face.
“I introduce myself, give patients my direct contact information and let them know I’m here to help guide them every step of the way,” she says.
Behind that first meeting, there is also a coordinated system of care working in parallel. At Lowell General Hospital, every newly diagnosed breast cancer case is reviewed by a multidisciplinary team that meets weekly to discuss treatment recommendations and coordinate next steps.
The group includes:
- Breast surgeons
- Medical oncologists
- Radiation oncologists
- Radiologists
- Plastic surgeons
- Pathologists
- Social workers
- Genetics specialists
- Physical therapists
- Clinical trial and research staff
For patients, this means their care plan is shaped collaboratively from the start, with multiple specialists aligned on the best path forward. It also means access to highly specialized breast cancer care close to home, reducing the burden of frequent travel during treatment.
For Libby Often, Lowell General Hospital had already been part of her life for decades. She was born there, delivered both of her children there and had long received her care through the hospital. When she found a lump in December 2025, she returned for additional testing the following month, where she learned she had breast cancer.
“Receiving this level of care close to home meant everything,” says Often. “I’m a school administrator, and after appointments I could go home, rest and still be close to my family and community. I didn’t have to drive into Boston or New York to get this level of care. We have incredible care right here in our backyard. For so many people, traveling far for treatment would be a real hardship.”
Helping patients navigate the unknown
For many patients, the hardest part of a new diagnosis is not just the medical information—it’s the uncertainty that comes with it. By the time they arrive for their first appointment, many have already spent hours online searching for answers, which can increase fear and anxiety.
“When you’re suddenly coordinating appointments with surgery, radiation oncology and medical oncology, it feels like you’ve been pulled into this huge medical industrial complex,” says Often. “Having one person who could help connect everything and explain the pathways made such a difference.”
The emotional weight of that uncertainty is something Holman sees immediately.
“One of the biggest questions patients ask is, ‘Am I going to die?’” says Holman. “People often turn to Google for answers, and I understand why. But the information they find isn’t always specific to their situation and it can increase anxiety.”
During multidisciplinary clinic visits, patients receive a significant amount of information in a short period of time. Holman says one of the most important parts of her role is helping patients process it all.
“If additional testing is needed or there are questions about pathology results or treatment recommendations, we explain what the next steps are and why. It’s two hours packed with really important information,” she says. “I always tell patients: Don’t leave until I see and talk to you again. I want them to know they can ask me anything because it’s so overwhelming.”
In many ways, the most important support happens after the formal explanations are done—when patients are processing, reacting or just trying to absorb what they just heard.
A lot of the job happens in quieter moments, sitting with patients after difficult conversations, repeating information they didn’t fully hear the first time or helping family members understand what comes next.
Harrison says those moments of reassurance mattered as much as the medical guidance. “I didn’t have another set of ears with me when I got my diagnosis,” she says. “I could hear the doctors talking, but I think I was a bit in shock.”
She says Holman became the person she could rely on throughout treatment.
“She was professional, but uplifting. When I look back, it felt like she was a friend to me. I needed someone to hold my hand and walk through this with me, and Kim was that person. I was preparing for my surgery and even recovering and healing afterwards, I was overwhelmed with questions and concerns. If Kim couldn’t answer a question for me or was unsure about something she would text or email members of my team. That was extremely helpful with communication and getting answers quickly, especially during moments of anxiety.”
Harrison recalls waiting anxiously for MRI results that appeared in the patient portal before she had spoken to anyone.
“It was actually Kim’s day off, and she still called me as soon as she saw the results because she wanted to explain everything and answer my questions,” says Harrison. “For the hospital to have someone to walk through this with you, especially when you’re alone, is huge.”
Often says Holman also helped her navigate difficult conversations with family members during treatment.
“She reminded me that these were my decisions and my treatment,” says Often. “Everyone has opinions, but she helped me understand how to manage those conversations and make the decisions that were right for me.”
“Cancer treatment can be confusing and overwhelming,” says Edwards. “Navigators are a friendly face patients can turn to for questions and support along the way.”
Navigators also help patients understand surgery recommendations, genetic testing, chemotherapy decisions and post-surgical testing that can determine whether additional treatment is needed.
A familiar face from diagnosis through survivorship
Before becoming a nurse navigator, Holman spent 10 years working in the emergency department, an experience that shaped her calm, patient-centered approach to care. Today, she says the most important part of her job is making sure patients never feel like they’re going through cancer alone.
“I wish every newly diagnosed patient knew there are treatments available, there’s a whole team working together for them and they’re not going through this alone,” she says. “We’ll make sure they have a plan, and we’ll always be here to support them.”
Holman’s role doesn’t end when treatment does. She continues checking in with patients, connecting them with resources, education and support as they adjust to life after cancer treatment. Lowell General Hospital also offers programs and open forums that help patients navigate ongoing challenges like bone pain, hot flashes and recovery.
Having that continued support close to home can make the transition feel more manageable for patients balancing work, family and everyday life. For many patients, that support leaves a lasting impression long after treatment ends.
“With my care team, I never felt like a number,” says Harrison. “I felt like a person.”
Need guidance after a breast cancer diagnosis?
A breast cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to navigate it alone. The Tufts Medicine cancer navigation team is here to help answer questions, coordinate care and connect you with the support and resources you need at every stage of your journey. Call today to speak directly with a member of the team: 866.486.2262.
