Molly Arnold, ARNP, BSN, MSN, ACHPN

How do you help patients?

There’s a misconception that palliative care is hospice care, and while I do work with some patients who are facing end-of-life, palliative care encompasses so much more. My goal is to help you live well, no matter the stage of your disease or your prognosis, and this means something different to each person. I encourage you to look beyond the particulars of your disease and treatment to consider who you were before you had cancer and what you value now. When you are going through treatment, difficult decisions often need to be made. I can help you clarify your goals so that you feel prepared to make these decisions and talk to your loved ones about them. In addition to offering emotional support, I focus on symptom and side effect management so that you can participate in the activities that bring you meaning and happiness. There’s a lot that palliative care specialists can do to help you weather a cancer diagnosis and bolster your well-being.

Tell us about an interaction with a patient that had a significant impact on you.

There was one patient who my colleagues and I worked with for several years. Her course of treatment went through a series of changes that weren’t always easy to cope with, and when the cancer started to affect her bones, it limited what she was physically able to do. We met with her once a month to manage her pain and help her identify areas in her life where she could still find joy despite all that she was going through. Once we got her symptoms under control and she felt stronger, she was able to set and achieve a lot of personal goals that she hadn’t thought possible, like traveling and going for walks every day. I really appreciate being able to establish long-term relationships with patients where we can connect on a deep level and work together to improve their quality of life.

Provider Background

Palliative care
I am an advanced registered nurse practitioner with more than 10 years of experience providing palliative care for patients with all types of cancer. Palliative care is focused on improving your quality of life through pain relief and symptom management as well as social, emotional and spiritual support. I see a variety of patients, including those who are working toward a cure. Before joining Fred Hutch, I provided oncology care at the University of Wisconsin and Virginia Mason. In my current role, I enjoy working with people on an outpatient basis. I often meet patients when they are newly diagnosed with cancer and care for them throughout the entirety of their experience.I am an advanced registered nurse practitioner with more than 10 years of experience providing palliative care for patients with all types of cancer. Palliative care is focused on improving your quality of life through pain relief and symptom management as well as social, emotional and spiritual support. I see a variety of patients, including those who are working toward a cure. Before joining Fred Hutch, I provided oncology care at the University of Wisconsin and Virginia Mason. In my current role, I enjoy working with people on an outpatient basis. I often meet patients when they are newly diagnosed with cancer and care for them throughout the entirety of their experience.

Diseases Treated