An Ally on Your Breast Cancer Journey: Meet Kira, Our Breast Health Navigator

A breast cancer diagnosis can bring fear, uncertainty and countless questions. For patients at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, breast health patient navigator Kira Parisi is there to help make that journey a little less overwhelming.

Sharing the journey

Kira walks alongside patients from the moment a screening mammogram raises concern through diagnostic imaging, biopsy and the next steps in their care. Her role is part advocate, part guide and, often, part emotional support.

“It’s difficult to wrap your head around that diagnosis and what that means. Your whole life changes,” Kira said. “My role is to advocate for the patient, help them through that process and expedite getting orders for additional tests if needed. I’m a liaison who can help reach out to their provider or doctor’s office.”

Support makes a difference

For patients, even knowing what comes next can feel overwhelming. A suspicious mammogram may lead to additional imaging, a biopsy, genetic testing or other appointments. Kira helps connect those pieces, removing barriers and making sure patients don’t have to navigate the process alone.

“I help them schedule those appointments and really help them go through this maze of everything they need to know and think about,” she said.

Experience and compassion create caring

Kira’s role is especially valuable because she has spent nearly three decades working in the Imaging Department. She knows the departments, providers and processes, but more importantly, she knows the people. Those relationships allow her to create a warm handoff for patients and quickly connect them with the care and resources they need.

“I already know all the players because I’ve worked with them for years,” Kira said. “So, it’s really a warm hand-off when I pick up the phone and connect them with my patient.”

A role she was meant to have

Her experience also helped prepare her for a role she feels she was meant to have.

“I think I’ve been training for this role my whole career,” she said.

Before becoming a patient navigator, Kira worked with patients as part of the registration team at Mendocino Radiology. She remembers being asked questions she couldn’t always answer: What happens next? Who do I talk to? Where do I go from here?

“It was always challenging not to be able to help them. Now, I can help find those answers and guide them through the next steps,” she said.

Today, Kira receives a daily list of patients whose mammograms have findings that may require additional follow-up. She reaches out to patients, helps coordinate the necessary appointments and works with the care team to keep the process moving.

Getting through each checkpoint

She compares it to getting patients through airport security with a fast pass, like TSA pre-check or Clear. “I take away the barriers and already have the doctor’s orders ready so we can get them through,” she said.

When patients return for diagnostic imaging, Kira is there to help explain what comes next. If a biopsy or another exam is needed, she talks with patients about what to expect, how long results may take and what the next steps could look like.

But her support goes far beyond scheduling appointments and paperwork.

“I’ve had patients ask me, ‘Will you hold my hand?’ And I say, ‘Absolutely, I will hold your hand. I will be with you,’” Kira said. “They know I’m their person, every step of the way.”

Making it personal

That personal connection is one of the most meaningful parts of her work. Kira gets to know patients and their families, learns what matters most to them and helps them work through the difficult questions that come with a cancer diagnosis.

For Kira, it’s about making sure patients always have someone in their corner. And when something gets off track, she’s there to help get it back on track.

“Since I’m with the patient from the start, I can follow up and continue advocating for them and make sure nothing gets missed,” she said.

With nearly 30 years of experience, a deep knowledge of the health care system and a genuine commitment to the people she serves, Kira helps patients feel less alone during one of the most uncertain times in their lives.

To connect with Kira Parisi, breast health patient navigator, call 707-463-7423.

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