Cathy Spagnoli has been an essential part of my cancer journey. I was diagnosed last year at the age of 39 and was terrified. Cathy was one of the first people I would meet on my cancer team and she had no idea how badly I needed her. I had no idea how badly I needed her. I had cried at every single appointment until this point. She instantly put me at ease and made me feel like I was walking into a warm house that was familiar rather than a cancer center.

As I began chemotherapy, I was having difficulty finding the energy to take care of some tasks; she helped me navigate at these times and I truly don't know what I would have done without her. I trusted her to take care of the things she said she would and she delivered every single time. Not only did she always keep her word, but she also did so extraordinarily fast. Not only is she great at her job but she is compassionate and kind. Her genuine compassion made me feel like I was her only patient (which I have seen the waiting room many times and this is far from true).

I absolutely hate having cancer; it's scary and uncertain, and yet Cathy was one of the first people at the cancer center who made me feel like everything was going to be okay. I was going to be okay.