Family History of Cancer Fuels Oncology Nurse's Passion for Patient Care

Kaitlyn Palsson's passion for healing began when she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age nine. Through the challenges she faced at a very young age, she grew into the remarkable person and caregiver she is today. At diagnosis, she had incredible nurses who helped her learn how to manage her new way of life — from constant injections and A1C checks to changing pump sites and monitors beeping throughout the day. She took those experiences and knew she wanted to become a nurse, initially to help children with Type 1 diabetes.

After graduating high school, Palsson began working at a cancer rehabilitation physical therapy clinic, and she was hooked. Her colleagues saw a side of Palsson with patients that mirrored exactly how she treated her own family — with compassion, kindness and a desire to make life better for people living with cancer.

Palsson's family history of breast cancer is also one of the reasons she is so passionate about oncology. Her grandmother is a two-time breast cancer survivor, her grandfather is a carrier of the BRCA1 gene, and both great-grandmothers had breast cancer, as did two great-aunts. She has also helped aunts and uncles with the gene navigate preventive surgeries.

Palsson continued working at the cancer rehabilitation clinic throughout nursing school, helping treat her grandmother and her aunt along the way. Through tireless studying, hard work and dedication, she became a nurse. After five years at the clinic, she took a leap and joined the largest oncology group in Utah as an infusion nurse.

Palsson is a healer in every sense of the word. She loves helping patients through cancer treatment and often stays up at night thinking of ways to make their lives better. She is an advocate with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, where she lobbies for cancer-related issues including health care costs, medication costs and research. She makes the cancer world better with her infectious laugh, her warmth and her ability to make everyone feel like the most important person in the room.

We are all changed for the better because of Kaitlyn Palsson.

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