– “Para mi ustedes son unos angelitos que dio puso en mi camino” – “To me you are like angels that God put in my path” Martha Corona came to Familias en Acción when she was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 years ago. As a patient navigator, Olga Gerberg was able to work with Martha and be her guide from the very beginning. As Martha began cancer treatment, Olga made sure Martha understood every process, the time commitment needed for office and doctor visits, the side effects.
Martha’s diagnosis also brought her other stressors. She began worrying about becoming sick and not being able to continue working to take care of her family. “I let her know that she did not ask for this disease,” said Olga. “For a while she felt like a failure and felt responsible for it, and did not want to miss work. We would role play how to communicate with her employer. And how to ask the doctor for the documents her employer would require to confirm her appointment.” She now confidently communicates with her employer when she needs time to manage her health without fear of losing her job. Being able to keep her job while managing her chronic illness allowed Martha to continue focusing on her family. Her oldest is a first-generation college student and a sophomore at Oregon State University. “I don’t want my son to drop out, and with my job he would be able to go to college,” Olga remembers Martha saying.
With the work of Familias, Olga has helped Martha become a stronger person. She feels empowered, strong and goes to appointments on her own, takes an interpreter and asks questions when things are unclear, and she is a happy person as you can see in the video.
