Gigi Elsmore

Gigi Elsmore was visiting family in Colorado when she got the news no one wants to hear: her mammogram showed a lump, she needed more tests, it could be cancer. Her first instinct was to return home to Texas but she entrusted her care to the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Swedish Medical Center and was impressed at the world-class care she received, “When I was told that it was cancer, I was thinking maybe I need to get back to Houston and MD Anderson… but when I learned more about my condition I decided to stay put, had everything done here and I’m very thankful I did.”

Gigi’s cancer journey in Colorado started with getting a second round of mammography at Invision Sally Jobe, our HCA HealthONE imaging partner with locations across the Denver Metro. They verified the lump and recommended Gigi undergo a biopsy, which is performed using local anesthesia, something she was anxious about after a recent procedure in Texas caused a lot of discomfort. Gigi says her care team reassured her, “They took the time to explain exactly what would happen… and I was just amazed at how there was no pain. It was quick and I felt very at ease.”

A nurse navigator, one of our patient advocates dedicated to helping guide people through the treatment process, called her with the biopsy results: the tumor was cancerous and now Gigi needed to make sure it hadn’t spread to other parts of her body. Luckily, an MRI confirmed the growth was limited to just her left breast and doctors praised Gigi for helping with early detection, “I remember them telling me I was the poster child for why you should have your mammograms done faithfully.”

The nurse navigators made sure Gigi felt supported in the next phase of her cancer journey: she was then scheduled with and met three Swedish experts on her diagnosis, all renown specialists in the distinct methods of fighting cancer: surgery, radiation and medication therapies. Again, Gigi said seeing the doctors’ teamwork and confidence about the way forward helped eliminate any anxiety, “I just said, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m getting three different physicians and information on all the ways of treating this cancer,’ I thought it was just fabulous.

On their advice, Gigi opted to undergo a lumpectomy that would be followed a few weeks later by five radiation treatments. For surgery, she was in the hospital for just a few hours but the doctors, support staff and Swedish’s oncology volunteers made a lasting impact: they gifted her with a heart pillow that still reminds her of their kindness, “I’m over 80-years-old and still hold that pillow every night. There’s a note on it that reads, ‘This was made by volunteers with love and hope, sending you strength and courage. You are not alone.”

Gigi was never alone in her cancer journey at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Swedish Medical Center. The comprehensive team of experts, from our nurse navigators to the Rocky Mountain Region’s foremost oncology physicians to our imaging techs and volunteers, all made sure she and her family were prepared to take each next step in her care. Now in remission, Gigi is proud to share about the world-class care she got at Swedish, “I would recommend [Swedish] to anyone with a cancer diagnosis. I believe they will get excellent care. I did.”

Learn more about the exceptional caregivers and advanced treatment options at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Swedish Medical Center or call (303) 253-3225 to speak with an oncology nurse, available 24/7.