{"id":24434,"date":"2024-05-30T12:49:19","date_gmt":"2024-05-30T16:49:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/?p=24434"},"modified":"2025-04-09T18:02:19","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T22:02:19","slug":"mesothelioma-nurse-jenna-tozzi-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/blog\/mesothelioma-nurse-jenna-tozzi-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Questions With Mesothelioma Nurse Jenna Tozzi"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>We sat down with our Chief Patient Care Advisor for insights into the mesothelioma treatment journey, tips from her personal and professional experience in health care, and how her team can help patients and their families.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Jenna Tozzi, Mesothelioma Hope\u2019s Chief Patient Care Advisor, is a multi-state registered nurse with more than 15 years of experience in rare cancers like mesothelioma.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to her impressive professional accomplishments, Jenna leads with heartfelt compassion as an advocate, ally, and confidante to the patients and families she works with.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Early in my career, I saw how important it was for a patient to be cared for holistically. Since then, I have been advocating for children and adults diagnosed with rare diseases.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>She puts her expertise and personal passion to work each day helping callers who need her care and support. Get to know Jenna as she answers five questions posed by mesothelioma patients like you.<\/p>\n<h2>1. What exactly is a Patient Advocate?<\/h2>\n<p>A Patient Advocate is someone who acts as <strong>an extra layer of ongoing support<\/strong> throughout your journey with <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/\">mesothelioma<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We provide active listening, personalized medical information, emotional support connections, and financial resources to patients and their loved ones.<\/p>\n<div class=\"callout-shortcode\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.callout-shortcode{background:#EDF8F9;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0;padding:20px 20px 20px 24px;margin:40px 0;max-width:860px;position:relative}.callout-shortcode:before{content:\" \";position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;width:4px;height:100%;left:0;background:linear-gradient(180deg, #0FAEBF 0%, #EDF8F9 100%)}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{color:#100134;font-size:22px;display:block;margin:0 0 15px}.callout-shortcode:first-child{margin-top:0}.callout-shortcode:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:20px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding-top:17px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:74px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{left:22px;position:absolute;top:20px;width:59px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background:#fff url(\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/mh-icon-65.png);background-position:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:70%;border-radius:30px;bottom:-10px;content:\"\";display:block;height:30px;position:absolute;right:-10px;width:30px}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.callout-shortcode{padding:25px 25px 25px 34px}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{font-size:24px}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode.has-img{min-height:170px;padding-left:175px}.callout-shortcode.has-img .img-wrap{position:absolute;left:29px;top:25px;width:119px}.callout-shortcode.hope.has-img{padding-left:170px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding:0}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{width:109px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background-size:66%;bottom:-15px;height:42px;width:42px}}<\/style><div class=\"content\"><p>Patient Advocates help patients make informed decisions about their care, ensuring their goals and wishes are heard and respected.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>With our team\u2019s deep expertise in the medical field, we\u2019ll walk with you through all aspects of your mesothelioma journey. We\u2019re here to empower you to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/doctors\/\">find the specialists you need<\/a>, fully understand your options, and maximize those appointments to get the right care delivered on your terms.<\/p>\n<p>Our goal as Patient Advocates is to arm everyone with the resources to overcome challenges related to a cancer diagnosis \u2014 including patients, family members, and loved ones. Every person we talk to has a different journey, so we tailor our services to meet the needs of our patients and families.<\/p>\n<p>One way we can support you is by connecting you with a mesothelioma specialist through our <strong>Free Doctor Match<\/strong> service. Sign up now to get started.<\/p>\n<h2>2. How has your personal experience influenced your role?<\/h2>\n<p>As the daughter of an emergency room physician, I was fascinated by science and anatomy from a young age. My father would take me to work with him, and I would sit at the nurse\u2019s station and ask questions \u2014 and then go home and read his medical textbooks and play with his stethoscope.<\/p>\n<p>Later on, my interest in medicine turned into a personal experience when I was diagnosed with a rare disease as a teenager. I had to stop going to school and travel to various specialists for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/second-opinion\/\">second opinions<\/a> and treatment recommendations.<\/p>\n<p>Despite my family\u2019s professional medical experience, they found it difficult to navigate the diagnosis and adapt to a different kind of life.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Following treatment, I was challenged with many long-term side effects. To effectively manage my own care as a young adult, <strong>I had to become my own best advocate<\/strong>. Understanding how daunting this can be has given me the drive to empower others to help overcome health care obstacles.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>My experiences have given me the ability to prepare other families for hurdles that may arise after being impacted by a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/\">mesothelioma diagnosis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>3. What does the word \u201chope\u201d mean to you?<\/h2>\n<p>To me, hope is largely about feeling empowered to make your own decisions and fight for another day with the people and experiences that make life worth living.<\/p>\n<p>As a mesothelioma nurse, my goal is to help inspire hope for patients going through this difficult time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I try to do this in three main ways:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Providing <strong>reassurance and encouragement<\/strong> to push through the difficult times<\/li>\n<li>Building resilience by <strong>educating and empowering<\/strong> patients<\/li>\n<li>Being <strong>present and offering a listening ear<\/strong> for someone going through their darkest moments<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Health care can be confusing and complicated, but I find that when patients understand their diagnosis, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/\">treatment options<\/a>, and ways to improve their quality of life, they <strong>feel more in control of their cancer journey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>4. What are some key considerations for each stage of the mesothelioma journey?<\/h2>\n<p>Everyone has a different cancer journey, and those facing unfavorable diagnoses experience the biggest challenges and hardships. That said, there are a few common phases of a mesothelioma journey.<\/p>\n<h3>The Newly Diagnosed<\/h3>\n<p>The biggest suggestion I would give at this point is to <strong>get educated on all things mesothelioma<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>This includes:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Reviewing your pathology report<\/li>\n<li>Asking about screening tests to inform your care<\/li>\n<li>Learning your treatment options<\/li>\n<li>Understanding symptom management<\/li>\n<li>And more<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Connecting with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/cancer-centers\/\">mesothelioma cancer center<\/a> with a multidisciplinary treatment team allows you access to resources like surgery and oncology expertise, pain management, palliative care, diet and nutrition support, chaplains, and more.<\/p>\n<h3>Facing a Cancer Recurrence<\/h3>\n<p>If your mesothelioma comes back (recurs) after treatment, know <strong>you have options \u2014 even if you feel like you don\u2019t<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>While there may be limited FDA-approved treatment options for mesothelioma recurrence, now would be the time to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/clinical-trials\/\">seek out a clinical trial<\/a> and consultations with top mesothelioma researchers.<\/p>\n<h3>Navigating Survivorship<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"\/treatment\/palliative\/\">Palliative care<\/a> is your best friend through this process. You may experience unwanted long-term side effects from treatment, but you can enhance your quality of life by taking charge of it.<\/p>\n<p>Your mental and emotional health also matters. Consider starting a gratitude journal to help you cultivate a focus on positive experiences.<\/p>\n<p>Read the inspiring stories of patients who are still thriving today and get tips for living with mesothelioma in our <strong>Free Survivors Guide<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div data-vqueid=\"21915\" class=\"widget widget_oscar-vque light-blue has-img\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"default\">.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue{margin:60px auto;line-height:26px;max-width:337px}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue a{display:block;background:#EDF8F9;border-left:4px solid #0FAEBF;border-radius:0px 8px 8px 0px;padding:25px;color:#100134;text-decoration:none;font-size:16px;text-align:center}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue .image-wrap{max-width:210px;margin:0 auto 15px}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue .heading{display:block;font-size:22px;margin-bottom:10px}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue ul{max-width:245px;list-style:none;margin:0 auto 22px;text-align:left}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue ul li{margin:0 0 5px;position:relative;padding-left:26px}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue ul li:before{font-family:\"mesohope\" !important;speak:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;-moz-osx-font-smoothing:grayscale;content:\"\\e904\";background:#0FAEBF;width:20px;height:20px;display:block;position:absolute;left:0;top:2px;border-radius:20px;color:#fff;font-size:10px;text-align:center;line-height:20px}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue{max-width:620px}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue a{padding:0}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue a>div{display:block;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;overflow:hidden;flex-direction:row-reverse}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue .image-wrap{float:right;align-self:flex-end;padding:0 3%;width:47%;margin:0;max-width:none}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue .vque-content{float:left;text-align:left;padding:30px;width:53%}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue .heading{font-size:24px;line-height:1;margin-bottom:13px}.widget_oscar-vque.light-blue ul{margin:0 0 22px}}<\/style><a href=\"\/survivors-guide\/\" title=\"Get Your Free Survivors Guide\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Survivors List Ad\" data-desktop-image=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/mh-survivor-guide-cover.png\"><div><div class=\"image-wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"431\" height=\"402\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/mh-survivor-guide-cover.png\" class=\"attachment-Medium size-Medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Mesothelioma Survivors Guide\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/mh-survivor-guide-cover.png 431w, https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/mh-survivor-guide-cover-300x280.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 431px) 100vw, 431px\" \/><\/div><div class=\"vque-content\"><strong class=\"heading\">Get Your Free Survivors Guide<\/strong><ul>\n<li>Survivors who beat the odds<\/li>\n<li>Tips for fighting mesothelioma<\/li>\n<li>Navigating life after treatment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong class=\"button arrow\" title=\"Get It Shipped Overnight\">Get It Shipped Overnight<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h3>Families Grieving a Loved One<\/h3>\n<p>Many families will experience anticipatory grief after a mesothelioma diagnosis. <strong>That is normal, and you are not alone<\/strong>. By connecting with a Patient Advocate, you can access tools to help you cope with some of the challenges that may arise when you are preparing for a loved one as they transition to the end of life.<\/p>\n<h2>5. What advice would you give to someone who\u2019s been diagnosed with mesothelioma?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>You are in the driver\u2019s seat<\/strong>. You must prepare for your appointments to get the most out of them and to make informed decisions on how to proceed with your life.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Getting diagnosed with a rare cancer is life-changing. I want patients to know that they can take control of their journey with mesothelioma and that I will be there with them every step of the way.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Resources \u2014 and the support of Patient Advocates like me and my team \u2014 are at your fingertips. I had to learn in my own life not to be afraid to ask questions and take advantage of these resources to overcome barriers to care.<\/p>\n<p>I record my doctor\u2019s appointments, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/doctor-questions\/\">prepare a list of questions<\/a> before every appointment, and utilize my support system to help me make decisions.<\/p>\n<p>I encourage anyone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma (or loves someone who has) to do the same. Take back control wherever you can, and know that <strong>your life still belongs to you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Get Mesothelioma Support<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, we&#8217;re here to help.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Our Patient Advocates can:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Listen to your story<\/li>\n<li>Connect you with medical care<\/li>\n<li>Help you make the most of your doctor\u2019s appointments<\/li>\n<li>Find <a href=\"\/resources\/support-groups\/\">support groups<\/a><\/li>\n<li>And much more<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s always free to speak with our team. Call us at <a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/about\/contact\/\">fill out our contact form<\/a> to get support now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We sat down with our Chief Patient Care Advisor for insights into the mesothelioma treatment journey, tips from her personal and professional experience in health care, and how her team can help patients and their families. Jenna Tozzi, Mesothelioma Hope\u2019s Chief Patient Care Advisor, is a multi-state registered nurse with more than 15 years of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":24435,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mesothelioma-treatment"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24434"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24434\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24434"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}