Susan recently retired after 44 years as an oncology nurse working as an inpatient & outpatient as well as as a clinical trial manager, Medical Science Liaison & nurse educator in the pharmaceutical industry. She was diagnosed with stage 3B triple negative breast cancer in 2001 and received broad chemotherapy as part of a clinical trial. Susan had a lumpectomy with then was diagnosed with follicular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2009, then parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma in 2022 .

Susan has been the caregiver of her sister, who died from triple-negative breast cancer in 2008, and her husband who died in 2018, 14 months after being diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic adenocarcinoma. She currently cares for her brother who was diagnosed with classic Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022.

Susan has been a volunteer match mentor for Y-me and After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) as well as Imerman Angels. She has been active in education, advocacy and consultations with state , US senators and representatives throughout her career and cancer journey.