Written by
The Sports Network
By Jeff Small
St. Louis, MO (KSDK) - A local nurse and her team of 300 have a lot of celebrating to do at this weekend's Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure. The longtime nurse is walking as a recent breast cancer survivor.
Cyndi Stotler is busy doing what she does best, which is helping take care of people dealing with cancer. Stotler spent 22 years as a nurse including 12 years at Siteman Cancer Center.
Her job experience gave her a wealth of cancer related knowledge, but her real lesson came from getting diagnosed with cancer in 2010.
Stotler's cancer treatment included surgery and numerous rounds of chemotherapy, along with a new passion to do more to help others battling cancer. Little did anyone know that a future would include a new job as a program nurse manager at Gateway to Hope in St. Louis. It's a nonprofit that arranges care for uninsured and underinsured individuals with breast cancer.
"'I'm able to become more compassionate, more understanding and empathetic because I have been there, done that, and I know exactly how they feel and what they are going through," said Stotler.
"I think it creates a great common bond and Cindy is a gem and we are lucky to have her," said executive director Cindy Frank.
KSDK