Nikki Robinson has many roles with SSM Health in Oklahoma. She’s the director of the cancer center and director of breast imaging at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital — Shawnee. She's the director of radiation oncology at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital — Oklahoma City.
She's also a breast cancer survivor.
When some co-workers expressed surprise that someone in oncology would get her own cancer diagnosis, she would note: "Cancer doesn’t care where I work."
Robinson, 50, had a family history of breast cancer and knew the importance of self-exams and regular mammograms. Still, her own diagnosis after a routine mammogram in February 2024 hit hard.
"Everything I thought I knew about breast cancer kind of went out the window," she said. "My brain kind of turned to mush, because you start getting overwhelmed."
A biopsy determined that a 1.6-centimeter mass in her left breast was an invasive ductal carcinoma. Because she had dense breast tissue, she went for an MRI, which found another 10-centimeter mass. The masses were deep, undetectable on a self-exam. The cancer was stage one, caught early. But she was still distressed and full of questions: Would she need radiation? Would she need chemotherapy? Would her hair fall out? Would she die?
"Then it really made me start thinking: This is what our patients go through," she said.
Navigating treatment
Robinson, who is married with two young adult daughters, a young adult stepdaughter and two teenage stepdaughters, wanted to stay strong for her family and for her staff. "That was a little bit tricky for me, because you don’t want to show weakness, but you also need to show weakness, because that makes you human," she said.
She credits her nurse navigator, Hannah Savage, with helping her understand the ins and outs of appointments and possible treatments. She says her medical oncologist in Oklahoma City, Dr. Thy Nguyen with SSM Health Medical Group, "was phenomenal."
"One of the first things she said to me, was, 'How are you doing?’ I’m like, 'I’m fine, I'm good. It's early stages.'" She said, 'No, how are you doing?’ And I just started crying. I said, 'I don’t know. I don't know how I'm doing.’'"
As a precaution, she decided to have a double mastectomy, which she had in March 2024 by SSM Health surgeon Dr. Stephanie Taylor.
In order to have breast reconstruction surgery, Robinson needed to lose weight. Her reconstructive surgeon put her on a prolonged fasting plan, and as of mid-May she had lost more than 100 pounds. She had the reconstruction surgery in February.
Robinson said she has had "the best outcome possible" since her diagnosis. She didn’t need chemotherapy or radiation, and now she takes a hormone blocker. And losing weight and exercising has helped her feel fantastic, she said.
Helping others
In the end, going through breast cancer treatment changed her life for the better, she said.
"I love my life. I love my family. I love my job. I love my co-workers, but once I got diagnosed, it really made me sit down and evaluate. I need to change," she said. "I look at my life differently now."
Robinson successfully advocated to get a nurse navigator at the hospital in Shawnee, a position the hospital plans to fill soon. She also happily shares her story with patients or anyone who wants a reassuring voice.
Just before having the reconstructive surgery, she appeared in social media videos for SSM Health advertising an annual "Pink Out" basketball game sponsored by SSM Health in Shawnee to promote breast cancer awareness.
"Early detection saved my life. Please schedule your mammogram today," she says in the video.
Stepping out onto the court at the basketball game with other survivors or people undergoing treatment as the crowd applauded felt tough in 2024, right after her diagnosis.
She felt better at the game this year.
"It was great. You just felt so much love and community support," she said. "But it was like, I'm supposed to be the one clapping for these people. They're not supposed to be clapping for me."