Warrior of the Month: November - Keeli Wall

“Two weeks prior to me being diagnosed with breast cancer, my mother had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,” Keeli Wall said. 

This was Keeli’s reality between 2011 and 2012. Keeli is a Breast Cancer Survivor, USA Health Providence Hospital Breast Navigator, and the Bras Across the CAUSEway Secretary.

In her thirties, Keeli was participating in an act most women should… self testing. She felt a lump in one of her breasts and requested a doctor’s appointment. During all of this, her mother had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Keeli’s children were four and six when she was diagnosed, and her doctors concluded she was suffering with stage three triple negative breast cancer. Her treatment involved 12 rounds of chemo and even included a bilateral mastectomy in February 2012 since she had lymph node involvement in her axilla and a positive lymph node in her collarbone. She then received radiation in April and May of 2012.

“I never not worked the whole time I went through it. That was a blessing. Even with insurance and working as a nurse, it was still… cancer is a financial burden. I don't know that everybody realizes that,” Keeli said. “With my deductibles, my cancer cost my family and I around $11,000 out of pocket, and not just everybody has that available in addition to your regular bills. This is with someone who is married, has another income and insurance along with her family fundraisers. That tells you how important it is what we do for somebody who is uninsured.”

Because of her bilateral mastectomy, Keeli’s yearly preventive screening requires CT scans of her chest, abdomen and pelvis. This year, her tumor markers increased, so she had to have a PET scan completed. Fortunately, her PET scan came back negative. 

“If you don’t know what it [any cause of inflammation or infection] is, you have to look for cancer,” Keeli said.

When she was presented with the job opportunity to become a breast navigator at Providence Hospital, Keeli was not even in the search for a new job. According to Keeli, she feels it was as if it was meant to be that the job opportunity was presented to her. Having a first hand experience, Keeli is with her patients every step of the way. 

“I feel like i can be a source of comfort for people when I call them. Sometimes, some people take the news very well. I call every biopsy patients whether it’s positive or negative. Some people take it good, and some people don’t,” Keeli said. “I can say, if they are upset… ‘Okay, now hold on. You know, I can personally say it is not a death sentence. I can also say, Hey I was diagnosed in 2011, and I am the one here calling and talking to you today. Let’s talk about it, you know. Let me talk you through it.”

It is because of Keeli’s experiences that allow her to connect with each person who enters her life at work. Keeli has a first-hand experience through chemo, radiation and surgery. She even lost her own mother as she was fighting her battle. 

While they both had cancer at the same time, Keeli had no genetic mutations or markers that placed her at a higher risk to develop cancer.

“It was just a coincidence. I tell people about that too. That helps me explain this better because somebody thinks that because they've had breast cancer or their mom had it that they will definitely have it and pass it down to their family,” Keeli stated.

As a breast navigator, Keeli is with her patients every step of the way. Whether you are newly diagnosed, are going through treatment, or are currently in remission, your journey will not be easy, but having a woman like Keeli Wall in your life will truly assist you. 

“I'll talk to you any way you want. I can talk to you like just a straight up nurse. You know, and what to expect, or I'll take you like a patient if you want me to if you're scared. But you see me down the road,” Keeli said. “I always tell everybody, have your faith, if you're a faithful person. I said, that's the most important thing to rely on. Even if you are not, a good attitude and thinking ‘okay, I gotta beat this. I gotta stay positive’ is the best thing, and that's what I try to get across to everybody.”