October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Know Your Body, Be Your Advocate
One NP Shares Her Breast Cancer Story
Gaby Tosto-D’Antonio, DNP has always been focused on health. In building her career in nursing, she was able to move through the ranks to serve as Columbia Neurosurgery’s lead NP for its Cerebrovascular Division. Working with patients is something that suited Gaby’s inquisitive and caring personality and she loved connecting with patients and their families in her day-to-day role as well as serving as a leader for the team. In addition to her clinical role, Gaby had also spearheaded the WAHI Brain Smart Initiative, an innovative new program offering immersive internship experience for Washington Heights students an inside look at the Columbia Neurosurgery’s clinical practices. And if that wasn’t enough, Gaby had also started an MBA program at Boston University.
However this past spring, Gaby’s busy world was turned upside down. She noticed changes to her breast while undergoing IVF treatment and thought maybe it was related to the hormones she had been taking. She met with several doctors who told her just as much but, something didn’t sit right with Gaby. She had a family history of breast cancer and truly felt like something wasn’t being detected, despite her young age. Gaby finally went to see Dr. Lisa Wiechmann, oncological breast surgeon at Columbia, who determined she was suffering from Stage III inflammatory breast cancer. and Paget’s Disease. Treatment was promptly initiated, and Gaby has just finished her preoperative chemotherapy and is preparing for surgery.
As a dedicated neurosurgery nurse practitioner at Columbia University, Gaby has spent her career caring for others. And true to form, for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she wanted to share her experience here to help other women who may not have the clinical acumen to deep dive into their imaging or ask the right questions. Gaby says, "We are seeing more and more people under the age of 40 being diagnosed with breast and colon cancer. It is so important to stay up to date on your annual screenings and advocate for yourself to your care team when your intuition tells you something is wrong. I am forever grateful to Dr. Wiechmann for listening to me and saving my life."
Says Dr. Lisa Wiechman, “Any patient encounter starts with a history during which patients tell us why they are there and their story. It is imperative that we listen carefully, ask the right questions, and try to put the pieces of the puzzle together to get a clear picture. There is an art in listening and medicine embraces it and we teach it to our trainees. Some professionals may be better listeners and having been a patient many times, myself has allowed me to sharpen that skill. I learn from each patient encounter, and I have learned so much from Gaby , her strength, her amazing energy and outlook and her generosity. The word doctor comes from the Latin verb Ducere meaning "lead." As patients embark the scary and unknown path of cancer treatment, our job as physicians is to lead them and guide them paying attention to their story and listening to their needs. This is a journey Gaby and I have walked together and will continue doing so. Gaby is an inspiration and a leader in advocacy. I am lucky to be her physician".
Gaby is still on her journey towards healing but thanks to the support of her amazing husband, family and colleagues she feels strengthened from the love and support they’ve given her to face the next chapter with strength, grace, beauty, and resilience.