20 Lives, 20 Ways: Nancy Feldman

In honor of our 20th Anniversary year, Women At Risk is profiling 20 individuals whose lives have been touched by some aspect of the many research, education, and support programs for women at high risk for and with breast cancer we have offered over the past two decades.

7. Nancy Feldman

Nancy is a high-risk woman who generously volunteered her time to work with Women At Risk in assisting patients at NYP/CUMC's Breast Service.

WAR: When did you first encounter Women At Risk? I was introduced to WAR by Nancy Singleton, whom I met in 2009 in the course of networking while pursuing a career in peer-support for cancer patients.

WAR: What was it like working with WAR's Patient Navigator and the entire team at NYP/CUMC's Breast Service? Working in the Breast Service was invaluable from an experience standpoint, in that I had never before spent time in a clinical setting. I was introduced to Eileen Fuentes, with whom I had the pleasure and satisfaction of getting the Women’s Wellness Series off the ground. This project afforded me the opportunity to establish many personal relationships with breast cancer survivors in a short period of time. It was a privilege to be part of this hugely successful initiative.

WAR: You also facilitated Women At Risk's support group for high-risk women, which had difficulty gaining traction. What did this experience teach you about the needs of women who are at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer? I have found that high-risk women are seeking accurate, current information on the risks they may be facing and the options available to them going forward. In addition to hearing the science from genetic counselors, surgeons, and oncologists, high-risk women are eager to hear the stories of “those who’ve come before them” and to compare their circumstances (including, in particular, family dynamics). That said, I think high-risk women are best-served by an educational panel discussion. I do not think many women want to regularly attend a “support group” to rehash largely hypothetical matters about their health.

WAR: Do you think Women At Risk will be able to use that information to better serve high-risk women in the future? Absolutely.

WAR: What do you think makes Women At Risk unique? WAR is unique in being a grassroots organization operating within a Comprehensive Cancer Center, serving women at high-risk for breast cancer.