Cancer support and nurse navigators

All the emotion and decisions surrounding a diagnosis of cancer can feel overwhelming. UCHealth provides nurse navigators to help you make your way through an individualized course of treatment and what can feel like a bewildering journey.

Nurse navigators: Breast cancer

Jane Jachowicz, BSN, RN, CNBN, ONC
Multiple UCHealth locations

Jane Jachowicz BSN RN CN-BN CNBN ONC has a true passion for patient education and assisting her breast cancer patients feel confident with their care.

With almost 15 years of breast cancer navigation experience, Jane feels that having the opportunity to navigate her patients through their personal, emotional, intellectual and life changing experience is a true privilege. “To be given the opportunity to walk along side of patients as they experience various challenges, victories and celebrations is a true gift,” she says.

Jane has held many management roles during her nursing career, including manager and director; but she has not felt as fulfilled as she does with direct patient care. “Being able to offer our patients research based care in addition to allowing them the opportunity to participate in clinical trials that assists with the future of breast cancer care is a standard that only a University setting can offer. The teamwork and respect at UCHealth is remarkable,” Jane says.

Jane is happy to assist any patient seeking care at any UCHealth metro Denver area location.

Nurse navigator: GI cancer

Julie Banahan – expert coordinator for your GI care

As someone experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, you can rely on the knowledge and expertise of our GI nurse navigator Julie Banahan, RN, BSN, OCN. She coordinates your care with appropriate specialists and helps you find individualized treatment plans that work best for you and your lifestyle.

Treatment plans at UCHealth are tailored to your stage in the disease process and take into account many factors, including:

• Financial concerns
• Coping mechanisms
• Pharmaceutical needs
• Nutrition
• Rehabilitation activities
• Transportation

To make your experience go as smoothly as possible, Julie sets priorities for referrals, gathers your medical records and laboratory reports, and schedules appointments on your behalf.

At UCHealth you’ll find the best providers in the nation, clinical trials and advanced research, the latest diagnostic technology, and a nurse navigator who assists you in accessing all these valuable resources.

Contact Julie at 720-848-0201 or [email protected]

Nurse Navigator: Head and neck cancer

Molly Olm-Shipman, RN, BSN, CBCN
Office: 720-848-5456

Molly is the nurse navigator for head and neck oncology. She earned a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, and her B.S.N. from Columbia University in New York. She worked as an oncology nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NY for ten years before joining the UCHealth team in 2017. She has over 11 years of experience in oncology nursing, is certified by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Nursing at the University of Colorado.

Molly is dedicated to helping reduce some of the stress that comes with a diagnosis of cancer. She can assist with navigating you to the right specialists for your diagnosis, obtaining medical records, and can help connect you with other services you may need during treatment such as our head and neck cancer specialists in social work, dietary support, rehab, and others.

Nurse Navigators: Women’s Cancer Developmental Therapeutics Program

The WCDT Program’s mission is to increase the development of novel cancer therapies in gynecologic and breast cancers and to increase access to clinical trials of novel cancer therapies for patients with these diagnoses.

Brandi Welker, RN, ONC
Office: 720-848-1030

Brandi Welker, RN, ONC, received her associate degree in nursing in 2008 and is obtaining her bachelor’s in nursing through Arizona State University. Brandi started her nursing career as an oncology nurse intern, and since worked as an inpatient medical oncology nurse before spending 5+ years giving chemotherapy. After several years in the oncology setting, Brandi received her Oncology Nurse Certification in 2013. Brandi has now embraced the role of working with newly diagnosed breast-cancer patients, guiding them through the complex maze of breast-cancer treatment from the initial diagnosis to treatment and survivorship.