Two women, two health networks and their one common enemy recently brought the past, present and future together in a swirl of emotions I couldn't ignore.

They were the biggest pests a teenage girl could have a baby sister, and the baby sister of your best friend.These "pests" have grown up to become remarkable women. Each fighting breast cancer in her own inimitable way one as a breast cancer patient, the other as a dedicated health professional.Baby sister grows upSusan Kleinhagen was the typical baby sister and the 10-year age difference seemed to create a chasm as deep as the Grand Canyon between us during my teen years. She drove me crazy! Forget private time with your boyfriend when your little sister is always tagging along.During her teen years, the tables were turned.I tagged along on drama club trips to New York City and weekend dance nights because our mom worried about her baby and thought she needed a chaperone. She didn't, but I kept tagging along as the age difference didn't matter so much when she was 18 and I was 28.The almost-monthly outings continued as she made it through nursing school, right up until she found a new type of chaperone - one she married - Matt Folk.Sue earned her registered nursing cap and set her sights on critical care, spending years helping patients who needed her skills the most, working as a critical care nurse at the former Allentown Hospital. She and Matt added two daughters, Amanda and Kristin, to their family and Sue continued her nursing career as the hospital became an affiliate of the St. Luke's Hospital Network.Unexpectedly losing our mom to lung cancer brought about a lot of soul searching and Sue turned her attention to learning as much as she could about oncology.What she learned changed her life and her vocation.Today, she is one of two Breast Health Navigators employed by St. Luke's, working at their Center Valley facilities.A life-changing discoveryPatti Camerini wasn't underfoot day and night like Sue, but she still created chaos in my life. At least, it felt like it at the time.Her older sister, Mary Ann, and I spent a lot of time together in our teens, thanks to our boyfriends (now our husbands), who enlisted together in the U.S. Marine Corps. Patti loved to listen in on our girl talk and took great pleasure in driving Mary Ann crazy. I certainly empathized.Patti went to college, married and moved to Palmerton. She and her husband, Marlon Kohan, had their own family: a son, Drew, who now lives in Fairfax, Va., and a daughter, Tara, who resides in East Stroudsburg.Patti loved her job as a medical assistant for Dr. Joseph Zhou in his Palmerton office. All was right with her world. In addition to a job she loved, she was a doting grandmother to Isabella, 3, and was preparing for a huge change in her life with her husband's planned retirement from teaching in the Palmerton Area School District on June 17.Patti's life certainly changed, but not in the way she planned.On June 14, she went for her annual mammogram, tying up one last end before her husband's retirement and the end of her comprehensive medical insurance coverage. June 21 was her mother's 80th birthday, which was expected to be bittersweet after the recent passing of her father, Joseph Camerini, due to lung cancer.A phone call from her gynecologist rocked her world from its foundation.Her mammogram showed an abnormality. She would need further testing.Although Patti is not a patient of Sue's, she quickly learned a lot about Sue's job.What is a Breast Health Navigator?Technically, a Breast Health Navigator is a nursing professional who is specially trained to coordinate the needs of patients who face a possible breast cancer diagnosis or those who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer. In reality, a BHN is a teacher, a coach, a cheerleader, a shoulder to lean on or a shoulder to cry on.If a woman's physician is affiliated with St. Luke's, and her annual mammogram indicates an abnormality, Sue, or her co-worker Deb Claycomb, will guide her through all the twists and turns to come. Whether it's compiling a complete patient history, offering help in interpreting test results, facilitating additional diagnostic tests, assessing high risk patients for their need for counseling or just offering support, the BHN is a patient's link between the real world and the medical world, someone to guide you through the maze."Being told you have an abnormal mammogram is tough," says Sue. "Our goal is to ease the stress, clear up the uncertainty, simplify what seems like a complicated process and yes, hold your hand if you'd like."Pattie recalls how hard it was when she was given her diagnosis."That day, when I knew for sure I had breast cancer, was tough, really tough," says Patti. "I was working, trying not to dwell on the possibilities. Chris, the office manager at Dr. Zhou's, was so amazing. I don't know how I could have made it through that day without Chris. Our tears were flowing."My thoughts were swirling my dad and losing him to cancer, my husband, my kids, my granddaughter, my mom and how this would devastate her. Leaping from one to the other, wondering how this diagnosis would affect not only me, but everyone around me."There was also the stress of the health insurance issue," recalls Patti. "Our coverage had changed with Marlon's retirement and the cost of the COBRA wasn't as affordable, knowing I would have to take a leave of absence from my job."While worrying about her own situation, Patti can't help but think about breast cancer victims who don't have medical insurance."When you're sick, you're sick. Whether or not you have insurance doesn't matter. The tragedy is that there are many cancer patients who could be saved, but aren't, due to the costs alone," says Patti. "There has to be a better way."In Pennsylvania, there is. The Commonwealth offers many programs covering the costs of mammograms, ultrasound biopsies and treatments for underinsured and uninsured women. Information is available at any breast health facility or at

www.pabreastcancer.org.Diagnostic testingThe mammogram you have taken annually is a screening test. A radiologist looks at the results and compares them to prior mammograms, if available.At a St. Luke's affiliate, if the screening mammogram shows an abnormality, a report is quickly generated and sent to Sue and/or Deb. Lehigh Valley Hospital's Network works similarly. In most cases, the BHN then calls the patient, explains the results and schedules further diagnostic tests, which could include a biopsy.The diagnostic testing is important in determining the type and extent of cancer involvement.There are four main types of breast cancer. Patti was diagnosed with a stage 2 ductal carcinoma in situ, the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer. The disease had already spread outside of the milk duct, but there was no lymph involvement.After carefully reviewing treatment options, discussing the pros and cons of each with her physician, Dr. Surendra Shah, and the family, Patti elected to have a lumpectomy, radiation and chemotherapy through Breast Health Services of Lehigh Valley Hospital, located in the OAA building in Cetronia. Her treatment plan was selected after taking all the variables into consideration.Genomic testing indicated that, despite her healthy lifestyle and the absence of a family history of breast cancer, Patti is high risk for a recurrence. By choosing to have the radiation and chemotherapy in addition to the lumpectomy, her risk factors are cut in half."Thanks to unending research, breast cancer diagnosis and treatment have come a long way. Digital mammography has had a huge impact, finding and biopsying lesions (tumors) as small as 3 mm," offers Sue."The importance of early detection can't be stressed enough. Thanks to genomic testing, we can also determine the probability of a recurrence and offer options," Sue adds."Today, the average time between an abnormal screening and a needle biopsy is 10 days, depending on things like the patient's schedule and if they are taking certain medication. In some cases, the biopsy can be done the same day as the diagnostic mammogram. The best prevention is still an annual mammogram for women and men at risk. The earlier breast cancer is caught, the better the chance a patient has for beating the disease."Treatment, support and moving forwardPatti's lumpectomy surgery was done July 29, just a little more than a month after her diagnosis. Ten days later, she underwent intensive radiation (brachytherapy) treatments, twice a day for five straight days."Overall, the treatments slow you down, physically and mentally, and you do have to deal with side effects," says Patti.As to the side effects, Patti considers them evidence "that the treatments are working." Used to being the person helping others, Patti is stunned by the outpouring of support she has received."My co-workers have been amazing. I hate that I can't work, but due to the treatments, I have to avoid being around sick people. That's hard to do in a doctor's office. They have picked up the slack without a moment's hesitation. And my family - my family is my lifeline," says Patti."What amazes me most though is the outpouring of support from the community. My neighbors are always bringing me things, offering to help in any way they can. Even when I'm not home, they leave things on my porch. And the people of Tamaqua, I don't know what to say."I haven't lived here since I left for college in 1976, but the support is astonishing. A group of my sister's friends, who call themselves the Ya-Yas, have gone so far as to plan a fundraiser to help with my medical expenses. The donations they've been receiving are outrageous. Who would have thought someone would be holding a Chinese Auction for me?"Patti is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Her outlook is positive, although the possibility of her daughter and granddaughter contracting the disease weighs heavily on her mind. Whenever she speaks about her disease, she stresses the importance of getting an annual mammogram."Catching this disease in its early stages is the most important thing a woman can do. Early detection is key, the key to a long, fulfilling life," stresses Patti.Concerning the future, she remains upbeat."I'm working through the process and try to stay positive as everyone takes their cues from me. I have to set an example for my kids," she laughs.That future includes being healthy enough to hold her second grandchild, due in February.The auction will be held Oct. 30, at the Hometown Fire Company. Doors open at noon. Auction starts at 2 p.m. Donations are still being accepted. For more information, call Mary Ann at (570) 668-2279 or Denise at (570) 645-7953.)