Carol Lee knows the value of a loving family, either related or found. Being a mother is everything to her. But there is an unexpected person in the family that Lee values deeply: Katie Stanulis, MSN ’15, her Lansing, Mich.-based nurse practitioner.
“Katie has always been my support system and in my corner,” said Lee, adding she has referred all her immediate family members and new in-laws to Stanulis’s care. Lee’s daughter, Mercedes Wills, considers Katie a “cousin” to their tight-knit group.
That support system was put to the test in May 2019.
During a routine physical, Stanulis performed a breast exam. She located a mass in Lee’s breast tissue. Stanulis didn’t tell Lee right away to avoid panic.
“She kept talking to me like a normal conversation while she’s doing her thing,” Lee remembered.
Upon returning to Lee’s room when the exam was complete, Stanulis got right to the point.
“I very matter of fact said, ‘Carol, I felt a mass on your breast exam today,’” Stanulis said. “And I remember her saying, ‘What?!’”
Stanulis’s calm demeanor conveyed not only the severity of the issue, but her dedication to do everything in her power to help Lee. They formed a plan and expedited Lee’s case to an oncology team. Mammograms, MRIs, and a biopsy were completed to confirm the diagnosis of Stage 1 breast cancer.
“I’ll never forget. It was June 1st,” said Lee. “When I got the phone call, they told me, ‘Yes, it’s cancer.’”
Lee developed two masses in an upper section of her breast, however, the cancerous tissue had reached her lymph nodes. Aggressive treatment began to treat the affected area, including two surgeries to remove the cancerous tissue. She also had increased rounds of chemotherapy and radiation to address the expansion into her lymph nodes. In all, Lee endured 16 rounds of chemotherapy and 20 radiation sessions.
To date, Lee’s treatments have been successful. Her cancer is in remission thanks to the quick thinking of Stanulis and the oncology team that took over her case. Lee’s family and Stanulis were in her corner for her entire treatment.
A chance encounter
Wills advocated for Lee on many occasions, ensuring that providers were doing what was best for her mother. Wills also served as a point of contact for Stanulis to keep her updated on Lee’s case, a connection that they found by chance.
The next visit Wills made to Stanulis after Lee’s diagnosis, Stanulis didn’t know that the two people were related. She was caught off-guard when Wills exclaimed that she had saved her mother’s life by finding cancer.
“Everything started to click into place after that,” said Stanulis.
Wills began seeing Stanulis for routine physicals in 2014. She self-identifies as a person who asks many questions and takes collecting information very seriously, especially when it comes to her health.
“I’m a worry wart, and Katie met my worries with kindness,” Wills said.
Wills had her own health scare treated by Stanulis when she developed stomach ulcers from untreated acid reflux. The pain became excruciating for Wills, who said it was difficult to even walk. Stanulis actively listened to Wills, then started testing.
Wills was diagnosed with stomach ulcers that had developed an infection. The infection was easily treated, but the acid reflex wasn’t going down without a fight. Stanulis referred Wills to a gastroenterologist for further treatment. The acid reflux was severe enough to qualify as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that could lead to serious conditions like Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer.
“It was hard for me to explain to Katie what was happening because she suggested [acid reflux],” said Wills. “I told her, ‘It can’t be that.’ She made me go to the gastroenterologist anyway, and I’m glad she did.”
Any worry she had about her husband or two children was met with reassurance and a guarantee to do everything Wills needed to feel safe. Every concern Wills presented had an equal amount of grace brought by Stanulis.
"I trust her, through and through,” said Wills. “You don’t really realize how much you trust somebody until you trust them with your children.”
Stanulis considers Lee’s and Wills’s referral to their family and friends an honor.
“The highest compliment you can get from any patient is when they refer other people to you, but especially when it’s their family members.”
Treating multiple generations of a family adds a greater understanding of family medical history that is rare for healthcare providers, who work from scratch on medical histories often.
Finding a healthcare provider that takes genuine care of their patients may be rare for some people. Lee and Wills both consider themselves lucky to have found a provider that cares so deeply for their patients and participates in their lives actively.
They trust that Stanulis will treat them with empathy every visit.
“I’m older, Black, and a woman. In a lot of situations, we don’t feel like anyone is really listening to our concerns and we feel like they’re ignoring what we’re saying,” said Lee. “But Katie … she doesn’t just make me feel like she’s listening, she shows me.
“Empathy is important for every human being. Not just for an older, Black woman, but for everyone. Every human being deserves that, especially from medical professionals.”
