ORLANDO, Fla. – An AdventHealth registered nurse is able to go above and beyond when it comes to patient care because of her own experience with cancer.
Michele Tisler is a registered nurse clinical research supervisor on the Oncology Research unit at AdventHealth.
“I really feel like I was called into this position, and it was, you know, like it was put in front of me for a reason, and I was happy to take it,” Tisler said.
For her, working with cancer patients is more than a job, it’s personal. Tisler was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma back in 2021.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
“It was at the questioning of my teammates because I was just complaining of a little pain in my stomach that was getting progressively worse and more noticeable and they just told me you have to go get that checked out,” Tisler said. “And so I did, and it turned out that I had a tumor in my stomach.”
Tisler was cared for by her collogues as she underwent six months of treatment.
“It made me feel very comfortable being taken care of here by my colleagues,” Tisler said. “Basically, it was being taken care of by family.”
Prior to her diagnosis, Tisler worked on the cardiovascular research unit. But once she came back, an opportunity came up to work on the Oncology Research Unit.
“It’s easy for me, I feel like I have that connection with them,” Tisler said. “I’m able to use my personal experiences as educational experiences for the patients which is really helpful when they’re not understanding something or they just need a little education about what’s going on.”
We asked Tisler how her patients react when they learn she’s a cancer survivor herself.
“Usually they tell me how long my hair is which I appreciate, because that was a big part of the treatment,” Tisler said. “It not only affects you physically, but that emotional aspect of it too. And I try and be that emotional help for the patients as they’re going through treatment.”