Sommer Leigh Rohman gains gratitude, lessons from cancer journey

As Sommer Leigh Rohman fought breast cancer, the bedside manner of those who treated her really made a difference. And that's something that's made an impact on her career as a speech-language pathologist.

Rohman, MS, CCC-SLP, has worked as a speech-language pathologist for years, and this August, she joined Team TidalHealth and began seeing clients at TidalHealth Pediatric Development & Therapy in Salisbury and Millsboro.

"The way that I felt with doctors influenced the kind of clinician that I want to be for my families and my patients," Rohman said.

Rohman was only 31 when her practitioner said "hmm" upon feeling something during a breast exam but said she didn't need to get it tested. Six months later, Rohman had a follow-up at the health department but didn't have health insurance during that time.

Once Rohman started having night sweats, she saw a different primary care practitioner - who had a much different attitude than the first one - and had a mammogram, ultrasound and X-ray. After a biopsy, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2016 at age 31.

The support of her community made a big difference. Her friend Dana organized a benefit event that featured live music and live and silent auctions.

"I don't know if I would have gotten through it without all that support that I had from friends," Rohman said.

She underwent chemotherapy treatments in Baltimore, and after a double mastectomy, she had an issue before the reconstruction and decided to go to Vincent Perotta, MD's office at Peninsula Plastic Surgery in Salisbury. She had to have multiple procedures with him, and she praised his bedside manner.

Rohman also had 56 radiation treatments with what is now TidalHealth - 28 days, with two treatments each day. She had positive things to say about her radiation oncologist, John Mansueti, MD, who cares for patients at the TidalHealth Richard A. Henson Cancer Institute and is the executive medical director for cancer services.

She described Dr. Mansueti as knowledgeable, comforting and someone she was able to have great conversations with.

"He is the perfect example of the right balance of bedside manner and professionalism," Rohman said.

Rohman also had success with using Siberian cedar pine nut oil on her skin.

She felt something was off when that initial practitioner said "hmm" - and she encourages others to trust their gut in situations like this.

Rohman also recognizes that she was only 31, and the incidence of breast cancer in younger women has increased in the past decade. According to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases of breast cancer in women younger than 45 have increased about 1.1 percent per year from 2012 to 2022.

Rohman now practices "radical gratitude" and takes opportunities to learn from her experiences and be thankful.

"I get to be grateful that I'm alive," she said.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

If you're a woman age 40 or older or at higher risk, are you up to date on your mammograms? Ask your primary care practitioner about getting a mammogram, find a screening location near you, or set up an appointment with TidalHealth Mobile Mammography. Members of the community can also support the Sheila Zimmer Breast Screenings Fund here. The fund helps remove financial barriers to care by providing breast screenings and support up to diagnosis for patients who are uninsured or underinsured.

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