Our Patient Advocates

Cancer is a cause that affects many of us in one way or another. It is an especially important cause for me. As a young man, I lost my mother to cancer. I know first-hand how devastating the diagnosis and the disease can be, not only to the patient, but also to the patient’s family and loved ones. There are so many issues faced by families struggling with a cancer diagnosis and, unfortunately, I have faced most of them personally.

With that in mind, I try to give patients and their families an honest assessment of what they can expect and answers to many of questions they will have. I am proud to work for an organization that focuses on providing guidance on a such a wide array of the issues presented by asbestos-related diseases: medical, emotional, financial, and awareness.

I am a registered nurse with specific background in general, vascular and thoracic surgery. I also was a director of a tissue bank prior to joining Asbestos.com as a Patient Advocate nurse.

I have been a nurse for many years and have had the pleasure to work in several subspecialties within the field. My surgical and oncologic background has been a true asset to understanding the needs of mesothelioma patients and how to help guide them through their journey. This is not a perfect science and every patient is unique and has specific requests. My goal is to determine how I can help each patient best and then provide them with the tools they need: knowledge, hope, and continuing emotional support.

My educational background is in Health Service Administration and I have always wanted to help others facing medical challenges. My experience with losing family members to illness, however, led me to patient advocacy. The journey of having a loved one suffer through a terminal illness can be one of the most trying times, but with the appropriate tools and knowledge it becomes manageable to deal with. I am very grateful for the advocates at the hospitals that assisted my family through our difficult times, and aim to provide the same compassion and empowerment to others that was provided to me.

I started my college studies as a microbiology major, with the idea of becoming a doctor. After several internships, I found that I really enjoyed the patient interactions and listening to the patients' stories more than I enjoyed the science of medicine, so I changed my degree focus to psychology. My passion is for helping others get through difficult times and guiding them. My knowledge on emotional grief counseling and my medical background enables me to effectively develop a course of action for patients. If you need an ear to listen to you or someone to guide you along the way, I am always happy to help.