Angela’s mother Maria Rivas with granddaughter
At TPMG, we know that each patient or family member who enters one of our offices has a unique story, one that we may never know but must always respect. Similarly, our employees have their own personal experiences that shape their approach to providing care for our patients. TPMG’s Senior Training and Development Specialist, Angela V. Rivas knows firsthand the challenges that come with unforeseen illness and understands the impact it can have on a family.
In December of 2022, Angela’s mother, Maria Rivas, was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Maria immigrated to the United States with her husband before Angela was born. They chose to settle in New Jersey, where Maria worked as a seamstress in a factory, despite holding a bachelor’s degree in business administration from her home country. Both Maria and her husband worked tirelessly to achieve their dream of becoming American citizens. They persevered through challenges and hardships, always striving for a better future for their family. Eventually, they moved to Florida and Virginia, where they set down roots.
With a family history of cancer, Angela is insistent on routine testing for all family members. She diligently schedules yearly recommended appointments to ensure any potential illness is detected early on. During Maria’s most recent mammogram, the doctor detected something abnormal, and further testing revealed a small tumor. In January, Maria received a lumpectomy to remove the tumor, which was then sent off for further testing. Unfortunately, the results showed an 80 percent chance of cancer recurrence. To combat this, Maria underwent chemotherapy and radiation.
Starting in February and finishing in May, Maria endured challenging chemotherapy sessions, which ended just before Dominican Mother’s Day. After resting for almost a month, Maria began her radiation treatments; These daily procedures lasted for 21 days, requiring her unwavering strength and determination. Throughout the entire testing and treatment journey, Angela and her daughters stood by Maria’s side to provide support and act as an interpreter.
“It was a little bit rough because she’s lost her hair and she hadn’t gotten her strength back yet. But we made it through and this August we celebrated her 71st birthday in Florida with her sisters and my cousins,” said Angela. Maria has a couple more appointments left but for the most part, she is beginning the recovery process from surgery and treatment.
As Maria gains strength and embarks on her journey to recovery, her family remains by her side. Angela’s sister, Sara flew in from New York countless times, despite the distance, to support her mother and Angela. Even when she couldn’t be there in person, she was available by phone to talk about the next steps, for comfort, and sometimes just to cry. They assist her with follow-up appointments, create rosemary hair oil treatments to promote hair growth, and provide the emotional comfort she needs. Angela credits the invaluable support she received from her fellow TPMG coworkers and supervisor. They supported her and stepped in whenever she needed to accompany her mother to an appointment, and they offered their support as Angela guided her mother through this challenging ordeal.
In her position as a Senior Training and Development Specialist, Angela applies her personal experience to better equip TPMG employees. One aspect of employee orientation is a customer service module called TPMG CARES, where employees delve into all facets of patient care, from in-office interactions to effective communication over the phone.
“One of the things we talk about is empathy. Our employees never know what the patient is going through,” said Angela. Angela vividly recalls the first visit to the oncologist with her mother. She felt anxious about the treatment plan, fear over what the doctor would reveal, relief that there was a diagnosis and plan in place and even anger that her mother had to endure this hardship in the first place. Angela experienced all these emotions, despite not being the one who was receiving care.
We’ll never know everything that is going on with our patients, but we can use our personal experiences to better empathize with them. We train staff to be mindful of the emotional state of all patients, taking time with each patient, actively listening to their concerns, and doing our best to answer every question they have and act resourcefully when needed. We strongly respect the value of embracing cultural differences, taking into consideration individuals who may face language barriers or disabilities.
TPMG Senior Training and Development Specialist, Angela V. Rivas
Our highest priority is to foster empathy throughout our organization, beginning with acknowledging and understanding the emotions of our patients who come to see us. These may be feelings of stress, hope, worry, fear, confusion, and more. By gaining a deeper understanding of our patients, we can treat them better. As Angela trains new employees, she draws upon the insights she gained from her mother’s battle with cancer—the process of diagnosis and treatment, as well as the accompanying emotions that came with each obstacle—to better inform every employee who joins our organization.
Angela’s story is similar to many patients receiving treatment for chronic and acute conditions in our TPMG offices. While we may never fully comprehend every obstacle our patients encounter, we are working to better bridge the gap between patients and healthcare providers. We value the trust our patients and their families put in our providers and staff, and we strive to honor that trust in every interaction. When patients and their families visit us, we strive to ensure they receive the same level of compassion and care that we would want for our own loved ones. At TPMG, we believe that our support is just as vital to patient well-being as the treatments we provide.
If you would like to learn more about the values that shape TPMG, click here.
