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- [Susan] I've been a nurse for 30 plus years,
and also I've been the CEO of a hospital in Irvine,
Kentucky, and I've always been actively
involved in healthcare and treating patients
and being with patients.
I walked, you know, all the time.
I exercised on a routine basis.
I tried to eat right and reduce any
type of risk factors involved with cancer.
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I knew that I had to do something because I knew
that women have a tendency to ignore their signs
and symptoms, and they have a tendency
to not make themselves a priority.
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So I was diagnosed with lung cancer.
It was a early stage of lung cancer.
You know, as a nurse and having a healthcare background
doesn't make it any easier when you have the diagnosis
of cancer, especially when you first face it,
but I think that when I entered into the system
and started being cared for by Dr. Badin, I mean,
he provided me with that care that reduced my anxiety.
- [Dr. Badin] Cancer diagnosis
is really a life-changing event.
It takes really a strong person,
a true hero to face cancer.
I remember meeting Susie when she was first diagnosed
with cancer, and she was looking for something
beyond the standard of care.
You know she can get surgery anywhere.
She can get chemotherapy anywhere,
but knowing that at Baptist Richmond, we can
not only do that, but also we can give her a
new research, a new clinical trial that give her
further hope and potentially better results.
She was very excited.
- As a nurse, if I can do something to help
other people in the future, that's what I want to do.
They made it easy for me.
I mean, they're wonderful people,
all so very kind and caring nurses
that helped me for the research.
- We cannot provide top-notch, world-class
care to cancer patients without having full
access to research as well as clinical trials.
With research, what we try to do
is we try to bring the future to today.
- One of my favorite things to do is
to work out with my trainer, with my friend,
and even during my treatment, I was able
to continue to do exercise and to do fitness,
and I think that was important.
- Getting the treatment that you
need closer to home is always better.
It's much easier to be with your family,
be with your friends, with your own environment,
and that's what we do here at Baptist Richmond,
again, trying to be local, be close to patients,
and bring everything that we offer at bigger centers,
have it available at this place right here in Richmond.
- It's good to know that you have a physician
who is involved in the research component of it,
and I know that Dr. Badin was a leader.
- I am very proud to be in Baptist family.
I'm happy to call this is home
for me for the last 10 years.
I'm proud to work for them
because I love their mission.
It's always been patient-focused.
I love being the director of research.
I love being involved in research,
and I don't see this changing anytime soon.
- When I look back on that whole
experience, although it was difficult,
it was scary and frightening and challenging,
I'm also very grateful for the outcome that I have.
I'm grateful that I'm healthy in my retirement age,
and I am able to do the things that I enjoy.
It's a blessing to be able to
have such a great story to tell.
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