Integrating Health Care and Self Care on an Extraordinary Cancer Journey

It wasn’t the most important thing, but Anne Nester Pidcock, PhD, was thrilled when she could do a half handstand against the wall with ease. Anne’s true goal is to align her body, mind and spirit. After dealing with two unrelated cancer diagnoses in less than three months, she felt she was reclaiming control of her life. Part of her approach: taking the empowering pose before each surgery and major procedure.

In fall 2022, a routine mammogram found stage 1 breast cancer. Her primary care physician, friends, and colleagues all recommended GBMC’s Lauren Schnaper, MD, FACS, and the team at the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Comprehensive Breast Care Center.

At Anne’s first visit to the Breast Care Center, “Dr. Schnaper spent 90 minutes with me and my husband.” Anne recalled with gratitude “the care, the knowledge, the kindness Dr. Schnaper and everyone showed me from that moment.”

Anne is no stranger to GBMC; she’s been an active volunteer since 2012, serving on the Volunteer Auxiliary Board, checking patients in at the welcome desk in the Virginia Sherwood Surgical Center, acting as a “patient” in the Simulation Innovation and Learning Center, and sorting donations and staffing sales at the Nearly New Sale.

As a patient, she is grateful for GBMC’s multidisciplinary team approach to cancer treatment. A career in psychology has shown Anne the importance of including the patient in their care.

And then, a scan done to prepare for radiation therapy post-lumpectomy found a mass in the large lobe of her left lung. Radiation oncologist Kruti N. Patel, MD, called Anne with the “stunning” news that she had stage 3 lung cancer.

“I never inhaled anything,” Anne said. “I walked six and a half miles the day before the diagnosis and had no symptoms.”

An October lumpectomy was followed by a January lobectomy. After the second procedure, thoracic surgeon Jennifer L. Sullivan, MD, FACS, assured Anne her cancer could be treated. A year out, tests have confirmed this is still the case. Medical oncologist and hematologist Robert B. Donegan, MD, ordered genetic testing and found a mutant gene that has been correlated with developing cancer in non-smokers. Multiple radiation treatments and four cycles of chemotherapy, including oral chemotherapy, have been successful.

Throughout treatments, Anne participated in yoga practices, meditation, and massage, as much as she was able.

“This is something I can do,” she said. “I can prepare myself and make myself stronger. As my yoga instructors have taught me, ‘no matter what, show up on the mat.’

“As I take a deep breath, I acknowledge what a gift it is to breathe freely without worry or anxiety.”

Returning to volunteer work at Nearly New recently gave Anne a sense of normalcy and a welcome distraction. The combination of keeping busy and taking time out to re-focus has been valuable.

The mind-body-spiritual alignment Anne has worked toward is a goal supported by the Integrative and Palliative Medicine (IPM) program of the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute. IPM provides cancer patients with an additional multi-dimensional layer of support, delivered in partnership with the patient’s primary oncology team, to help them manage life as a cancer patient and as a cancer survivor.

The IPM team provides patients with the therapies and practices that have helped Anne along the way as she has sought to minimize the use of pain medications and rebuild her strength. Massage Therapist Becky Burke is “very experienced with oncology patients,” Anne said. “She knows what would work well during treatment and how to relieve and prevent pain.”

Volunteering – time spent in the service of others – has brought Anne a sense of wellbeing.

“When my world was turned upside down, practicing yoga and breathing exercises gave me the stability and inner strength to move forward with courage, faith and grace.”