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At Azra AI, we are proud to honor the extraordinary individuals who bring hope, healing, and humanity to cancer care. Our Oncology Hero of the Month series celebrates those whose compassion and commitment make a profound difference every day. This month, we’re honored to spotlight Susie Ulloa, RN, BSN, OCN, Regional Nurse Navigator at Regional Nurse Navigator, GO2 for Lung Cancer, a true example of what it means to lead with heart and purpose.
After more than two decades as a nurse, Susie has dedicated the latter half of her career to oncology navigation. Her path has taken her from breast cancer support to multi-disease navigation, and eventually to lung cancer, where she now plays a transformative role. What anchors her work is a deep commitment to ensuring that no patient feels alone.
A Career Rooted in Service
Nursing has always been a calling for Susie, and her journey reflects a steady progression toward more patient-centered, advocacy-driven work. She shared, “I have been a nurse for a good couple of decades and probably the second part of my nursing career has been in oncology… all of it in navigation.”
Her early navigation years were spent helping breast cancer patients, but her role expanded naturally as she gained experience, compassion, and insight into the many barriers patients face. Today, she works with lung cancer patients, their families, and the wider healthcare ecosystem. As she put it, “I am very grateful to be working with the lung cancer communities… not only patients and families, but also facilities and providers.”
Her service is not just clinical, it’s relational, emotional, and deeply human.
How Oncology Navigation Found Her
Many navigators come to the role with intention. Susie, however, describes a different path, one shaped by her own lived experience. “Oncology navigation kind of found me,” she explained. In 2014, her world changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Going through treatment gave her a new perspective not only as a nurse, but as a patient.
That experience led her back to the cancer center where she had been treated, and eventually into her first navigation position. “My own oncology experience as a patient… led me to be known in the center where I was treated and they knew I was a nurse and they were looking for a navigator and that's how I started.”
She describes the moment as serendipitous, something that felt meant to be: “It was more coincidental than anything else, and the rest is history. It was like a perfect fit for me.”
And it was this moment that shaped the foundation of her purpose. Reflecting on her own diagnosis, she said, “My motivation at the beginning was what if I had a nurse navigator? At that time there wasn't one… Oh my God, it would have been amazing to have had this person during my journey.”
Her mission has been crystal clear ever since:
“Help them be an advocate and a voice… give a voice to those who don't have one.”
Inside GO2 for Lung Cancer
At GO2 for Lung Cancer, Susie plays a crucial role in a multifaceted organization committed to supporting patients from every angle. She described the organization’s work with a sense of pride and purpose:
“GO2… we confirm lung cancer in all fronts… We have a help hotline and support. And not only with psychosocial support, but also some navigation and some questions regarding clinical trials and treatments and guidance.”
Beyond patient-facing programs, GO2 is deeply engaged in advocacy, policy, research, and community-building. Susie highlighted this breadth of impact:
“We have many different teams and we work in different fronts… advocacy, policy work… research… patient and family support, events, fundraising.”
Susie’s team focuses on healthcare delivery excellence—strengthening systems, educating providers, and ensuring access to the best possible care. She explained, “We belong to the excellence in healthcare delivery… we also assist providers and healthcare systems… Our interest is to serve the lung cancer population, whether they are at risk or undergoing the disease.”
Her work doesn’t just support individual patients, it helps elevate lung cancer care across entire communities.
A Well-Deserved Recognition
As our conversation drew to a close, Susie’s gratitude was palpable. She reflected on the recognition with characteristic humility:
“I feel very proud and I really from the bottom of my heart appreciate this recognition.”
Her career represents the very best of oncology navigation, compassion in action, advocacy in motion, and lived experience transformed into hope for others. Susie’s work continues to uplift the lung cancer community, one patient, one family, and one meaningful connection at a time.
Hear Susie’s full story in our conversation with her linked below!
In addition to the Oncology Hero recognition, Azra AI has made a contribution to GO2 For Lung Cancer on behalf of Susie. Please join us in donating to this organization!
About Azra AI’s Oncology Hero of the Month
The Oncology Hero of the Month – presented by Azra AI, highlights oncology professionals making a meaningful difference in cancer care. Each month, we spotlight one individual who exemplifies the spirit of excellence and innovation in oncology.
Do you know an Oncology Hero who deserves to be recognized?
Nominate them for a feature by emailing us at oncohero@azra-ai.com
