Irvine residents Yvonne Cole and her husband , Dave , were volunteers at Hoag for seven years , Yvonne working in the gift shop and Dave in patient transport . She was diagnosed with bladder cancer in February 2022 and had surgery in July at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach .

“ It wasn ’ t until my own cancer diagnosis that we were connected to Sandy Southerland and experienced Hoag ’ s nurse navigators firsthand ,” Yvonne recalls . “ Sandy was my nurse navigator and she helped me every step of the way — from initial diagnosis and tests to connecting with my surgeon and answering all of our questions .

“ I don ’ t know how I would have gone through this cancer journey without her . She really helped me understand what was going on and answered all of our calls and questions along the way .

“ She ’ s an incredible listener and was able to reassure me , provide guidance and , most of all , support me on whatever decisions I made . She truly had my back throughout the whole process . She ’ s a lifesaver .”

Today , Yvonne is in good health and she is cancer free . She will soon start her post-surgery infusions to keep the cancer away . And , yes , she ’ s still in touch with Southerland .

The Hoag Cancer Center , where many patients assisted by the Nurse Navigators program go for treatments

COURTESY OF HOAG MEMORIAL HOSPITAL PRESBYTERIAN ; OPPOSITE PAGE : ASHLEY LITTLEFIELD	A CARE CONCIERGE Describing it as a highly individualized program , Holnagel says its nurse navigators “ meet the patient where they are in their journey and address the needs they specifically have . Our patients are extremely grateful for the support our navigation program provides .” Sandy Southerland is a clinical oncology nurse navigator with Hoag and says she was attracted to this role after being an oncology-certified nurse for more than a decade ; she is also a registered nurse and has a bachelor ’ s degree in nursing . “ I saw the need to give patients that extra TLC … as they are going through one of the most stressful times in their lives ,” Southerland says . “ Navigators speak with patients not only when they are receiving treatment sessions . We assist with resources , help manage side effects and provide much needed emotional support .” Previously she worked in a variety of health care areas , mostly with infusions but also in clinical research and in a clinical setting . “ Qualifications	are important ,” Southerland says of the nurse navigator position , “ but the most important qualification is to be a very empathetic person .” ADDED SUPPORT For even more assistance , nurse navigators often guide patients to one of many support groups that Hoag offers free of charge to patients and families including five different neuroscience support groups and two different heart and vascular support groups . The cancer support groups are led by licensed clinical social workers and oncology nurses with discussion centered around issues faced by cancer patients and their loved ones . Additionally , Hoag offers free cancer education programs for those seeking to broaden their knowledge . Southerland says the most rewarding part of her job is when she ’ s put in touch with a newly diagnosed patient who is feeling overwhelmed and lost and she is able to steer them toward accurate information on the diagnosis and tailor an	oncology team to fit their specific needs . The next phase is providing details about support groups , counseling and dietitians . “ At the end of the conversations most patients are appreciative , sometimes saying they didn ’ t even expect to have someone call them back ,” Southerland adds . She readily acknowledges that it ’ s a very challenging job that often carries over into her nonworking life when the condition of certain patients remain on her mind . “ It ’ s a balancing act of doing the best you can when you are at work ,” she says , “ but then trying to refresh myself by the next day .” Besides clinical support , Hoag clinical nurse navigators are also integrally involved with the education of patients , loved ones and the community as a whole . In collaboration with physicians , they participate in community education forums and screening for early detection efforts and , where available , educate patients on appropriate clinical research studies . NBM
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Newport Beach Magazine Winter 2022 DIGITAL_MAGAZINE_NB75_2022 | Page 55

A Firsthand Account

Irvine residents Yvonne Cole and her husband , Dave , were volunteers at Hoag for seven years , Yvonne working in the gift shop and Dave in patient transport . She was diagnosed with bladder cancer in February 2022 and had surgery in July at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach .