Bonnie S. Trudeau is using her breast cancer experience and passion for life to guide Samaritan Medical Center patients through their own cancer struggles.

As the Watertown hospital's oncology nurse navigator, Mrs. Trudeau works with cancer patients, their families and caregivers to provide emotional and educational support, as well as reduce barriers to cancer care.

"The goal of the program is to link all the resources out there," she said. "Samaritan Medical Center is a cut above the rest to take this on."

There is no charge for the service and patients may use the program at any stage of their cancer. No physician referral is needed.

The program was launched in March, but Mrs. Trudeau began seeing patients in its development stages throughout 2007.

She's actively working with 22 individuals whose ages range from the 20s to the 80s.

Although the bulk of her patients have breast or prostate cancer, Mrs. Trudeau works with people with any cancer type.

"I wouldn't turn any cancer patient away," she said.

Over the past year, Mrs. Trudeau has visited physician offices and medical facilities throughout the north country, informing them of the oncology nurse navigator program.

If a physician finds that a patient might need the support of Mrs. Trudeau, it's suggested the patient call her at 786-4920. An initial interview is conducted over the telephone, and eventually a face-to-face meeting will take place.

As a patient becomes more comfortable, Mrs. Trudeau may share a laugh or story with that person, accompany them to an appointment, or visit him or her after a chemotherapy treatment.

She will share her breast cancer journey with her patients if they ask, but Mrs. Trudeau said she doesn't want her patients thinking their experiences would, or could, be the same as hers.

"The good news now is that treatments have evolved, but if 20 years ago a woman was to get breast cancer, it was a death sentence," she said. "The goal for me is to get on board with patients when it's in an early stage."

Mrs. Trudeau's friendly approach won MaryAnn E. Shear's heart last year after Mrs. Shear, 50, had a mastectomy Jan. 10, 2007.

Mrs. Shear met the oncology nurse navigator while recovering from her operation, and they have since become good friends. Mrs. Trudeau has provided the Smithville resident with medical and emotional support.

"She got books for me from the library at the hospital, and she knew I was going to have chemotherapy where I'd lose my hair," she said. "She brought me a scarf and a hat. She checked on me almost daily when I was there."

Dr. Robert O. Kimball called Mrs. Shear the evening of Dec. 18, 2006, to give her the breast cancer diagnosis. Having lost her mother to leukemia, Mrs. Shear said her family was aware of cancer and what it could do.

"I had my sisters and family here, and my husband, James, who was my best support," she said. "It wasn't going to be 'Poor me, I'm going to die.' It was about how am I going to look 30 again when it's all over with."

Her yearly mammograms didn't detect any breast cancer, but Mrs. Shear said she hopes her experience doesn't deter women from having the exams.

"I was very proactive, but the tissue just didn't allow it to show through," she said. "I yell at people who don't go. It hurts a lot worse having a mastectomy."

Now in the final stages of reconstruction, Mrs. Shear is having expanders put in so her chest muscles can hold implants.

"I'll look like I'm 25 for the rest of my life," she said.

Finding something to laugh about every day keeps her going, she said, and many of those laughs are shared with Mrs. Trudeau.

"Humor is a very important ingredient when you're dealing with cancer because there's always someone worse off than you are," she said. "There's always someone who's sicker or closer to passing away."

Now that Mrs. Shear has finished her chemotherapy infusion treatments, she will take oral treatments for the next five years as a preventative measure.

Mrs. Shear hopes to return to work at Northern Glass, Watertown, in October.

As her hair grows longer and as she feels more like herself again, Mrs. Shear said, she knows she can count on Mrs. Trudeau and Samaritan's oncology nurse navigator program if an issue arises.

"Besides being a navigator program, they're also people who are north country people that care, and I had the best care in the world at Samaritan Medical Center," Mrs. Shear said. "That is something I feel very strongly about."

Mrs. Trudeau's office is in Samaritan Medical Center's administration building at Sherman and Pratt streets.