Nursing professor becomes the patient

Pamela Sealover is a wife, mother and grandmother. She is also the proud owner of one goldendoodle named Daisy. Pamela is a nursing professor at Ohio University Zanesville and has worked there for 25 years.  

Not long ago, she noticed concerning symptoms. Pamela called the Genesis Breast Care Center and immediately got an appointment. The team at the Breast Care Center diagnosed her with breast cancer and developed a plan for Pamela to treat the disease and win.  

“I had confidence in Genesis because of the excellent care they gave my husband during his cancer treatment,” Pamela said about her treatment plan.  

Bilateral diagnosis  

At the Genesis Breast Care Center, she was diagnosed with a slow-growing tumor in the right breast and a more aggressive tumor in the left breast. The care team at the Breast Care Center advised Pamela to start with chemotherapy for 24 weeks, and after the treatment, they would determine the next steps.  

Shyamal R. Bastola, M.D., Fellowship-trained and Board-certified Hematologist/Oncologist at the Genesis Cancer Care Center, cared for Pamela during her treatment. Chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer. It was the best option for Pamela. The length of chemotherapy varies from person to person. With the help of the Cancer Care Center, Pamela began chemotherapy soon after her diagnosis.  

“A lot of students I had in class were taking care of me at the Cancer Care Center,” Pamela said. “I knew I was in good hands.” On her last day of chemotherapy, Pamela’s coworkers celebrated with her. They performed a skit visible from the Cancer Care Center’s windows. It brought smiles to everyone’s faces.  

Advanced treatment  

After Pamela went through chemotherapy, she had a bilateral mastectomy. Dr. Bastola scheduled a follow-up appointment to make sure the procedure had removed all the cancer. The results showed there was one lymph node that was still positive for cancer. The best solution to get rid of the cancer was radiation.  

Radiation therapy damages the genetic material of cancer cells, which stops their growth. This is one of the common treatments provided at Genesis. Radiation therapy can also be used for other types of cancer.  

Pamela and her doctors discussed the possibility of reconstructive surgery while she was preparing to get her bilateral mastectomy. After radiation and procedures, Pamela had reconstructive surgery.  

“If something is not right, get to a doctor to check out what is wrong and how to proceed.” 

Reconstruction of her life  

Today, Pamela is doing great and has recovered from her battle with breast cancer. Pamela gets screenings every six months at the Cancer Care Center to ensure there are no returning cancer cells. She also takes an anti-estrogen pill. These can help stop the growth of future cancer cells.  

Pamela was a part of the Genesis Celebrate Life National Cancer Survivors Day event for cancer survivors and supporters in June 2024. She told her story to those in attendance and stressed the importance of scheduling an annual mammogram to make sure there are no signs of breast cancer. And she has advice for others when it comes to listening to your body.  

“If something is not right,” said Pamela, “get to a doctor to check out what is wrong and how to proceed.” The faster a medical professional can identify the problem, the quicker it is to develop a treatment plan.  

“At the Genesis Cancer Care Center, we make a cancer treatment plan that is catered to you,” said Dr. Bastola. “We are happy Pamela is doing well, continuing to live her life to the fullest and bringing awareness to early symptoms of breast cancer.”