A Quality Life: Amy's Breast Cancer Story

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Amy Berman is a nurse, a nationally recognized expert in care of the aged and a senior program officer at the John A. Hartford Foundation. When she was diagnosed with Stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer in 2010, she had some very difficult decisions to make about her treatment options. Faced with discouraging odds of surviving more than five years, Amy discussed her care options with her oncologist who was trained in palliative care skills. “The team advised me but only advised me after they asked me what I wanted,” says Amy. Together with her family, Amy decided to forego aggressive treatment and instead have her pain and the psychosocial symptoms of her disease handled by a palliative care team. Five and a half years after her diagnosis, Amy is active and fulfilled as ever, working full-time and traveling every chance she gets. “What palliative care gives to me is the ability to feel well and fully live my life in the face of serious illness,” says Amy. This is a story about making informed decisions. It’s also a story about putting the patient first. This is Amy's palliative care story. Hosted by Dan Altano