Brigid O’Holleran, MD grew up in Western Nebraska, where she also underwent her medical training at the University of Nebraska School of Medicine. Since January, she has served as the oncological surgeon and medical director at Valley View’s Breast Center. She moved from Durango with her family, all of whom enjoy the outdoor recreation opportunities the Valley offers — from Nordic skiing to biking, camping and more.
She recalled when she was just a youngster telling her parents that one day she wanted to be a doctor. “As I grew older, I reassessed that desire to pursue a career in medicine. It really fit my interest in science and also combined the humanities element of taking care of people,” she told The Sopris Sun.
She spoke highly of her colleagues at Valley View. “Everybody is really invested in the community,” she said. “There’s a very patient-centered approach to the care here that was really appealing to me. I wanted to be a part of that.”
While attending a surgical residency program at the University of Utah, she trained in a variety of surgeries, including breast surgery. She later went to work at Mercy Hospital in Durango, where she was a general surgeon and developed a special interest in breast cancer care.
“I remember the first surgery I was able to scrub in for … Something in my brain lit up and I knew in that moment that I wanted to be a surgeon.” Part of the appeal was being able to find a problem and fix it — having concrete solutions. In that sense, breast cancer can also be solved — cured — if it’s detected early.
“It’s the combination of getting to treat women and getting to treat them through a disease process that can be really scary … but also has really good survival [rates],” she explained. “There’s a lot of things about breast cancer care that are really rewarding to be a part of.”
Breast cancer is quite common, in fact it’s the most common cancer in women worldwide, explained O’Holleran, with one in eight women being affected in their lifetime. She added that most women don’t get screened for breast cancer before age 40. “I do think it’s important for women aged 25-40 to talk with their primary care provider about performing a risk assessment,” she stated.
On top of being a full-time breast surgeon, she started the High Risk Breast Clinic at Valley View to counsel women who have been flagged for being at higher risk. People determined to be at high-risk can then set up a personalized screening plan so any cancer can be detected promptly.
“I wanted to develop and expand the High Risk Breast Clinic because there is a lot of evidence that if we detect breast cancer early we can achieve the highest survival rates for patients,” she stated.
There are modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, explained O’Holleran. Examples of non-modifiable factors are family history, genetics, dense breast tissue or even height — things a patient can’t control. Modifiable risk factors include dietary and lifestyle changes, such as exercising and eliminating alcohol and tobacco use.
Women with dense breast tissue, considered category C or D density, are at higher risk and that density makes cancer harder to detect with a mammogram, opening them up to other imaging options with increased sensitivity.
People who have already been diagnosed with breast cancer will see O’Holleran for surgical consultations and treatment. Women with benign conditions will also be referred to her for surgical evaluation.
When it comes to breast cancer treatment, she said that she appreciates the team oriented approach at the Calaway-Young Cancer Center that integrates surgical, medicinal and radiation oncology.
“I want to be a resource for patients providing guidance on cancer prevention, risk reduction and early detection of breast cancer,” concluded O’Holleran. “By working with a team of medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, we can make the optimal treatment recommendation for patients.”
For more information about Valley View’s Breast Center and the High Risk Breast Clinic, visit www.vvh.org/valley-view-breast-center