October 2025

Each October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month reminds us not only of the importance of early detection and treatment—but also of the powerful stories, resilience, and community that surround every diagnosis. Survivors’ voices are essential to shaping compassionate, patient-centered care. We were incredibly moved to receive the following letter from a faculty member at Seton Hall University, who beautifully captured the impact of our Pathways Patient Educator Program on their first-year Physician Assistant students. Their words reflect exactly why this work matters—not just in the fight against cancer, but in the future of healthcare itself.

Warm greetings to you for Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinary experience you and the Pathways Women’s Cancer Support Center provided for our first-year PA students this semester, and every year that I have been fortunate to partner with you. The panel discussion and intimate small group sessions with breast cancer survivors left an indelible impact on our students, one that will shape them as clinicians for years to come.

What made this experience so powerful is something that cannot be replicated in a textbook or conveyed through a lecture. While we can teach our students the pathophysiology of cancer, treatment protocols, and evidence-based medicine, we cannot adequately prepare them for the human dimensions of healthcare through didactic learning alone. Hearing directly from survivors about their journeys—the fear, the uncertainty, the moments when a provider’s compassion made all the difference—bridges that gap in a way nothing else can.

The personalization your group conveys, illustrating the impact of this diagnosis not only on the survivors themselves but on their families, communities, careers, and healthcare teams, humanizes the journey these warriors endure in a profound way.

The small group format was particularly meaningful. Having students engage in focused conversations with survivors created a safe, intimate space for vulnerable sharing. Students didn’t just hear stories; they connected with real people whose lives have been forever changed by a diagnosis. They learned that clinical excellence, while essential, is incomplete without genuine empathy and the ability to see the person behind the patient.

These experiential sessions are vital to developing the kind of healthcare providers our communities need. They teach presence, active listening, cultural humility, and the profound responsibility we have to honor each patient’s unique experience. Our students left that room transformed, carrying with them a deeper understanding of why they chose this profession.

Thank you for your partnership in educating the next generation of PAs. The work you do at Pathways extends far beyond supporting survivors—you are helping us shape compassionate, patient-centered clinicians who will carry these lessons throughout their careers.

I could not be more grateful for the collaboration you offer and that you say “yes” every time I call! My work would fall short without your valuable participation.

With sincere appreciation,

Abby Saunders, PhD, PA-C