{"id":78233,"date":"2024-10-01T12:15:13","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T18:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=78233"},"modified":"2024-10-07T10:19:06","modified_gmt":"2024-10-07T16:19:06","slug":"finding-peace-on-the-water-nurse-navigates-breast-cancer-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/finding-peace-on-the-water-nurse-navigates-breast-cancer-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding peace on the water: Nurse navigates breast cancer journey while supporting oncology patients"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_78144\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78144\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78144\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/09\/19161454\/UCHealth-Riley-Mulligan-7-web.webp\" alt=\"A nurse shares tips on dealing with cancer. Throughout her breast cancer journey, Riley Mulligan has found peace rowing on Boyd Lake in Loveland. And when she endured tough treatments, she mediated and imagined herself rowing with her team. &quot;It's amazing, being with my crew on the water, hearing the water rush under the boat, even our breathing is in sync,&quot; Riley said after a recent rowing practice. &quot;It feels like I'm alive again.&quot; Photo by Sonya Doctorian, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"413\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Throughout her breast cancer journey, Riley Mulligan has found peace rowing with her team at Boyd Lake State Park in Loveland. And when she endured tough treatments, she mediated and imagined herself rowing with her team. &#8220;It&#8217;s amazing, being with my crew on the water, hearing the water rush under the boat, even our breathing is in sync,&#8221; Riley said after a recent rowing practice. &#8220;It feels like I&#8217;m alive again.&#8221; Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Keeping her \u201chead in the boat,\u201d even when she\u2019s on dry land, has allowed Riley Mulligan to retain a sense of serenity this past year as she has faced rough waters of her own while caring for patients with cancer.<\/p>\n<p>The expression, often used by rowers, means to concentrate on the task at hand and keep the boat steady, as well as to leave your problems on the dock as you push off into the water.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love being in the boat with three other people and you are working as one,\u201d said the 52-year-old Loveland resident who has been rowing for six years. \u201cYou have that support and connection, and you\u2019re out at dawn with birds and quiet and the sunrise. You have to have complete focus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Riley, her time in the rowing shell has helped to fortify her, as well as serve as a reminder that her own cancer struggles do not define her \u2013 something she has always told her patients in her role as a palliative care nurse navigator at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-cancer-center-poudre-valley-hospital\/\">UCHealth Cancer Center on the Harmony Campus in Fort Collins.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_78143\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78143\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78143 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/09\/19161450\/UCHealth-Riley-Mulligan-6-web.webp\" alt=\"Members of the Loveland Rowing Club lift a quad boat overhead before placing it in Boyd Lake for a sunrise practice. Riley Mulligan, in the middle of the five, said her team promised they would get her out on the lake this summer after her cancer diagnosis in September, 2023. She was able to take up the oars within a few weeks after April reconstructive breast surgery. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.\" width=\"800\" height=\"453\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78143\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Members of the Loveland Rowing Club lift a quad boat overhead before placing it in Boyd Lake for a sunrise practice. Riley Mulligan, in the middle of the five, said her team promised they would get her out on the lake this summer after her cancer diagnosis in September 2023. She was able to take up the oars within a few weeks after April reconstructive breast surgery. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s also given her a new and very personal insight into what her patients are experiencing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt absolutely reaffirmed my role and my job; if anything, I get pushier with my patients because of my own cancer experience. I encourage them to walk, to exercise, to get out there. I also know which patients of mine will be reluctant to reach out and ask for help. Now, I put a reminder on my calendar to reach out to them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Riley can empathize with that challenge. Asking for help \u2014 and accepting it \u2014 has not always been easy for her. But reflecting on the past year since she was diagnosed with stage 2 triple-negative breast cancer, has taught her some valuable lessons.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI learned how to ask for help. That was huge for me. I think it\u2019s hard for many women and probably for many people in health care. But my friends were incredible. They were really there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"UCHealth Riley Mulligan Social Media\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1015901276?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><strong>A nurse working with cancer patients gets a cancer diagnosis<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Born in Nebraska, Riley has lived in Colorado most of her life and moved to the northern part of the state more than 20 years ago to be near family. She became a nurse and went to work at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-poudre-valley-hospital\/\">UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital<\/a>, where she was a float pool nurse for 10 years. A float pool nurse rotates between different departments and units in a hospital depending upon staffing needs.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_78140\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78140\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78140\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/09\/19161440\/UCHealth-Riley-Mulligan-12-web.webp\" alt=\"Riley hugs rowing teammate Lisa Craigie, after an exhilarating morning practice at Boyd Lake State Park. \u201cI\u2019ve learned that there\u2019s so much good in the world. There\u2019s strength in being vulnerable and strength in being weaker, recognizing that things are tough and it's okay.\u201d Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"357\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78140\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Riley Mulligan hugs rowing teammate Lisa Craigie after an exhilarating morning practice at Boyd Lake State Park. \u201cI\u2019ve learned that there\u2019s so much good in the world. There\u2019s strength in being vulnerable and strength in being weaker, recognizing that things are tough and it&#8217;s okay.\u201d Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>During her shifts, she became particularly interested in working with cancer patients, specifically palliative care, which focuses on quality of life and minimizing suffering and pain for patients with complex, serious and sometimes terminal illnesses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOncology was one of my favorite places to work because of the supportive and innovative ways we worked with patients in trying to control their symptoms. They just want to get better so badly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When a position opened seven years ago on the palliative care team at the hospital\u2019s cancer center, she knew that was where she belonged. She\u2019s a big believer in the mission of supporting patients during what can be the most traumatic and difficult times of their lives.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPalliative care focuses on true system support, from the moment of diagnosis to the end of life, which could last for decades. It reminds people that life is still worth living even though it might look different. It entails the whole family, whatever that means to patients, and includes symptom and pain management and making sure they feel well enough to do the things they enjoy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHealth care is very fast paced, but in my role, I have time to sit and listen and even cry with my patients. I celebrate the wins with them and give them a safe place to talk and express their fears,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to cancer being front and center in Riley\u2019s professional life, it has also been part of her personal history. Both of her grandmothers had breast cancer, along with paternal and maternal aunts.<\/p>\n<p>Because of this, Riley was conscientious about regular self-exams and annual mammograms and had a clean result from her spring 2023 mammogram. But a few months later in September during a routine wellness visit, her primary care provider found a lump.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_78136\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78136\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78136 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/09\/19161428\/UCHealth-Riley-Mulligan-2-web.webp\" alt=\"Riley Mulligan is honored alongside other cancer patients during a Men's basketball game at Colorado State University. Riley had a double mastectomy for breast cancer after her September 2023 diagnosis. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.\" width=\"800\" height=\"434\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78136\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Riley Mulligan is honored alongside other cancer patients during a men&#8217;s basketball game at Colorado State University. Riley had a double mastectomy for breast cancer after her September 2023 diagnosis. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There was a flurry of additional tests along with a biopsy, and then the result: triple negative breast cancer, which occurs in about 10 to 15% of diagnosed breast cancer cases. This is an aggressive type of breast cancer that tends to grow and spread quickly.<\/p>\n<p>It is called triple negative because the cancer cells lack the three \u201creceptors\u201d usually found in breast cancer \u2014 estrogen, progesterone and a protein called HER2. Receptors are proteins found on breast cells that use estrogen and progesterone signals to promote either healthy cells or, when present, cancer cells.<\/p>\n<p>But with triple negative breast cancer, the cancer cells don\u2019t contain estrogen or progesterone receptors or the HER2 protein, and therefore, don\u2019t respond to typical breast cancer treatments.<\/p>\n<p>Riley\u2019s breast cancer was stage 2, because even though it was under 2 centimeters, the surgery showed a small amount of cancer had spread from the breast to a nearby armpit lymph node.<\/p>\n<p>Working in a world of cancer did not make the news any easier for her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very surreal. There was a lot of fear, a lot of tears. It was interesting how incredibly alone I felt until I told the first person. And then, all I felt was love. The empathy I got from the people I had worked with for so long \u2026 it was very special,&#8221; Riley recalled.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_78137\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78137\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78137 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/09\/19161433\/UCHealth-Riley-Mulligan-5-web.webp\" alt=\"Riley Mulligan stretches her pectoral muscles after reconstructive surgery, under the watchful eyes of her dog, Murphy. \u201cI\u2019m not as strong as I was before my diagnosis,\u201d Riley said, \u201cbut I\u2019m getting there. Physical therapy has been amazing and has helped.\u201d Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth\" width=\"800\" height=\"505\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78137\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Under the watchful eyes of her dog, Murphy, Riley Mulligan stretches her pectoral muscles after reconstructive surgery. \u201cI\u2019m not as strong as I was before my diagnosis, but I\u2019m getting there. Physical therapy has been amazing and has helped,\u201d Riley said. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In October 2023, a month after her diagnosis, she underwent a double mastectomy. Doctors removed three lymph nodes to be cautious but found cancer in just one. A few weeks later, Riley began a five-month chemotherapy regimen lasting until April that consisted of three different types of drugs for a total of 16 treatments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt made it a lot easier because I did trust everyone. I knew my care team, and I knew the level of compassion and empathy they had. I knew I was in great hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/farrah-m-datko-md-cancer-oncology\/\">Dr. Farrah Datko<\/a>, a breast cancer specialist who treated Riley, has worked alongside her for several years as they cared for cancer patients together.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Riley received one of the hardest chemotherapy regimens we have for breast cancer, a regimen called dose dense AC-T,&#8221; Datko said. &#8220;She had a lot of the same side effects many patients have. She was incredibly brave and strong to keep working throughout her treatment,&#8221; Datko said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cResearch has shown that women recover better when they stay active during chemotherapy and keep their same routines in place as much as possible. This includes exercise, working and hobbies. Although this makes sense, it is certainly not easy to do when feeling tired and dealing with other side effects. Yet Riley did it beautifully, often with a big smile on her face.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After allowing her body a few months to recover, Riley underwent radiation in July and August.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout her ordeal, she continued to work through the nausea, fatigue and weakness she felt. She lost her hair from the chemo. Her skin and nails suffered as well, and her chest was red and sore from the radiation, but it was important for her to be a consistent and constant presence for her patients.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWork was incredibly helpful even though meeting patients with the same diagnosis \u2014 those days were really hard. But I had a lot of great support around me, and being able to help others helped me.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_78139\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78139\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78139 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/09\/19161438\/UCHealth-Riley-Mulligan-3-web.webp\" alt=\"Riley Mulligan\u2019s colleagues at the UCHealth Cancer Center on the Harmony Campus in Fort Collins applaud as she rings the bell, marking the end of her 12-week chemotherapy course for breast cancer. Following this milestone, Riley underwent reconstructive surgery and completed a five-week course of daily radiation by the end of August. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.\" width=\"800\" height=\"449\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78139\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Riley Mulligan\u2019s colleagues at the UCHealth Cancer Center on the Harmony Campus in Fort Collins applaud as she rings the bell, marking the end of her 12-week chemotherapy course for breast cancer. Following this milestone, Riley had reconstructive surgery and completed a five-week course of daily radiation by the end of August. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Riley&#8217;s best friend and nursing colleague Michaela Martinez said Riley never stopped pushing herself \u2014 even during the worst parts of her cancer treatments \u2014 to deliver excellent care for her patients.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe is the most giving and caring person who advocates for her patients, and she never stops. She was and is, truly there for what is best for them. It\u2019s a blessing for anyone under her care,\u201d said Martinez, a float pool nurse educator based at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-medical-center-of-the-rockies\/\">UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>She credits Riley with being a mentor who has helped her grow and flourish in her nursing career.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s always been someone I can turn to and ask questions \u2026 She is great at jumping in and helping.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Riley&#8217;s boyfriend Howie Perko admires how she has learned to live in the moment, cherishing the time with him and others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe makes the most of every moment she has. She has been strong and beautiful and full of energy and hasn\u2019t let cancer get her down,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_78145\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78145\" style=\"width: 350px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78145\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/09\/19161457\/UCHealth-Riley-Mulligan-8-web.webp\" alt=\"As a breast cancer survivor, Riley Mulligan proudly wears a pink ribbon on her rowing sport shirt. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.\" width=\"350\" height=\"204\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78145\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">As a breast cancer survivor, Riley Mulligan proudly wears a pink ribbon on her rowing sport shirt. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Tips for dealing with cancer from a nurse and cancer survivor<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Now cancer free, Riley looks back on the past year with some advice for other cancer patients and family members who may be similarly tested. Along with the importance of early intervention, Riley encourages people to be proactive about checkups, annual exams and recommended medical procedures.<\/p>\n<p>For those who do get a cancer diagnosis:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Get exercise. It makes a big difference to your physical, emotional and mental health.<\/li>\n<li>Work with a physical or occupational therapist to develop a routine that works for you.<\/li>\n<li>Put yourself on wait lists for all your medical appointments if you want to be seen sooner. Spots do become available.<\/li>\n<li>Connect with a counselor or therapist to help with the trauma you are experiencing.<\/li>\n<li>Ask for help and accept the help and support of family, friends and colleagues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cMy friends were incredible. Recovering from surgery, they walked with me every day I could, they brought me food, they were always checking in. They made a huge difference.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Back in the boat<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Riley began rowing in 2019 after seeing a flier for the activity at her local gym.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always thought it was a beautiful sport. I signed up, learned, and I instantly fell in love with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She continued to row through her surgeries, chemo and radiation. Her crew members were with her with each and every stroke, rowing her around the lake when she was too tired to pick up the oars, and carrying the boat when she couldn\u2019t do it herself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy team was incredible, and I was able to row most of this summer. I am definitely feeling stronger, my fatigue is getting better, and I have a lot more energy.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_78134\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78134\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78134 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/09\/19161422\/UCHealth-Riley-Mulligan-11-web.webp\" alt=\"Riley Mulligan carries her share of the quad rowboat after practice with the Loveland Rowing Team. Over the summer, Riley built up her physical strength to handle the 4-seater boat, which weighs more than a hundred pounds. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.\" width=\"800\" height=\"524\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78134\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Riley Mulligan carries her share of the quad rowboat after practice with the Loveland Rowing Team. Over the summer, Riley built up her physical strength to handle the 4-seater boat, which weighs more than a hundred pounds. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Riley&#8217;s future includes travel plans \u2014 a trip to Norway is on her calendar for January \u2014 to row more, spend time with loved ones and take the advice that she has always given to her patients.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverybody\u2019s journey is different, but we need to remember to actually live and not just be here.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Keeping her \u201chead in the boat,\u201d even when she\u2019s on dry land, has allowed Riley Mulligan to retain a sense of serenity this past year as she has faced rough waters of her own while caring for patients with cancer. The expression, often used by rowers, means to concentrate on the task at hand and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2357,"featured_media":78144,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[6835,4801,28,3658,212],"class_list":["post-78233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-breast-cancer-treatment","tag-breast-imaging-and-tests","tag-cancer-care-oncology","tag-cancer-support-and-nurse-navigators","tag-womens-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Finding peace on the water: Nurse navigates breast cancer journey - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Now free from breast cancer, Riley shares advice with other cancer patients. 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