As an oncology nurse practitioner at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Beaver, Pa., Germaine M. has supported and taken care of many patients throughout the years.
But when she found a lump in her own breast, her world changed.
Germaine was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer and underwent preventative chemotherapy and radiation, followed by five years of tamoxifen, a hormonal therapy drug used to block estrogen and help stop tumor growth.
At the time of her diagnosis, Germaine was only 35 and had been undergoing infertility treatment.
Because her duties at UPMC Hillman had included counseling young patients about fertility preservation measures, she knew what to expect.
“I had a role to promote fertility after cancer therapy and spoke with many young patients — male and female — regarding egg and sperm preservation prior to chemotherapy," she says. "I am an advocate for this.”
She underwent embryo preservation in the event her cancer treatments had left her with to chemotherapy-induced sterility.
Still, after all she'd been through trying to get pregnant, cancer treatment was a huge disappointment.
“I was angry,” she says. “We were trying to conceive for four years and now my dream of having children had to be put on hold for another five years.”
Finally, after completing therapy, Germaine was cancer-free and given the greenlight for an embryo transplant. She went through the process twice and now has two daughters.
A New Perspective
Germaine continued with her life as a mother and nurse practitioner, helping patients and their families through some of the most difficult times of their lives, now with a new perspective.
Unfortunately, nearly 10 years later, Germaine found a lump in her opposite breast and was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
The diagnosis hit harder than the first.
“I had done everything possible to prevent a recurrence,” she says. “But it still came back.”
Despite the shock, Germaine continued to work as a nurse practitioner for another seven to eight years while undergoing multiple treatments— a bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, estrogen-blocking therapies, immunotherapy, and clinical trials.
She's now been living with metastatic breast cancer for 12 years. Her treatment will continue indefinitely, but she remains hopeful, always watching for new advancements that might give her more time with her family.
Her personal journey gave her a unique understanding of the patients she served and often cared for breast cancer patients while undergoing the same treatments herself.
“We connected on a level that went beyond the provider–patient relationship,” she says. “We shared stories, hope, fears — everything.”
Many of those patients became part of her extended family.
Throughout her cancer experience, she has relied on the support of her care team, including her oncologist, Grace Tarabay-Caridad, MD.
“Everything people say about Dr. Tarabay is true,” Germaine says. “She will do anything for her patients. We worked together before she became my physician, and we quickly became friends. I feel incredibly lucky to have her in my life.”
Her greatest strength, she says, comes from her husband and daughters, who have witnessed difficult moments and have grown up with a profound understanding of resilience.
Today, Germaine is medically retired and misses the work she loved — the patients, the camaraderie, the purpose. But she remains active: traveling, skiing, staying involved in her daughters’ sports, and volunteering in their activities.
Her approach to life and illness remains steady and takes it one day at a time.
“I always told my patients ‘don’t give up because of the side effects,’” she says. “'Push through. There is light at the end of the tunnel.'”
Her message to anyone who hears her story is simple but urgent.
“Get your mammograms. Stay up to date. Take care of yourself.”
