Cancer Care Consultants of Northern California

Pam R. Valentine, MSN, FNP

Pam R. Valentine is one of the first people at Cancer Care Consultants that every new patient gets to know. As a Nurse Practitioner, one of her specialties is patient education. “Many people come to us feeling they’re in a crisis. I give them everything they’ll need to know, in depth – the treatments, the medications…they feel a great deal more in control when they learn about all the options.” Patients appreciate her warm, caring personality, and her ability to listen. “I love working here, because I really get to know the patients, and their families, too. I’m given the time to spend with the patients, and I can see how many of them really grow and change for the better. When they first come in, they’re so scared of the ‘big C’. But in many cases, they get another chance to live. A lot of them can be cured. Many people clear up issues in their lives, and their priorities change. Cancer actually makes people better people; they learn to appreciate life more. And I’ve been affected, too - working with cancer patients has made me appreciate every day I have.”

Pam received her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing at Chico State, and her FNP from University of California, Davis. She then earned her Master’s Degree in Nursing at University of California, Sacramento, in 1996. She worked at the Willow Creek Family Practice before moving to the Red Bluff/Redding area, where she was employed by Shasta Emergency Medical Group. As an emergency room nurse practitioner, she traveled between St. Elizabeth’s in Red Bluff and Mercy Medical Center. Just at the time when Pam was ready to leave emergency medicine, a friend with cancer, a patient at Cancer Care Consultants, recommended the practice to her. Pam joined Cancer Care Consultants in March 2000. “This is the best, most challenging position I’ve ever had. The patients and staff form very strong, personal relationships. Teamwork is important, too, and I communicate constantly with the doctors. The best part is that the patients tell me that I really make a difference.”

Because she is very athletic and enjoys sports, Pam was happy to move to Redding. She water-skis on Lake Shasta, and snowboards on Mt. Shasta in the winter. Dr. Figueroa and his family got her involved in their favorite sport, hockey. Pam now plays on a coed team. Because she is a Nurse Practitioner, she wants people to feel comfortable in her presence. “Some people have been taught to think doctors are too busy to really talk to. I want them to know that they can feel safe with us, and they can always confide in me. No matter what the treatment is, I’m here to help you get through it.”