Kerstin Wiggins, MSW
Patient Navigation · Research Synthesis & Translation · Program Development
My vision is an equitable cancer care system that sees and supports the whole person—at every stage of care.
As a two-time breast cancer survivor, researcher, and patient navigator, I work at the intersection of lived experience and the design of breast cancer care—across diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and advanced disease.
A breast cancer diagnosis doesn’t just affect the body—it can upend family roles and relationships and reshape a person’s sense of self.
Grounded in frontline patient navigation, my work brings clinical research into conversation with first-person narratives to identify patterns in lived experience and gaps in care. These insights then help shape more comprehensive oncology programs and responsive systems of care.
Areas of Work
Patient Navigation & Support
Guiding patients through cancer care, with a focus on removing barriers to care, and providing culturally responsive individual and group support.
Research Synthesis & Translation
Examining existing research alongside lived and frontline experience to uncover recurring patterns and overlooked gaps in breast cancer care.
Program & Workflow Development
Using evidence and frontline insight to develop more comprehensive programs, practical workflows, and responsive models of support.
Selected Qualifications
Education & Interdisciplinary Training
Master of Social Work (MSW); BS in Communication Studies.
Patient Navigator at BCRC, supporting individuals and groups across diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, recurrence, and advanced disease.
Patient Navigation & Community Support
Research & Health Equity
Research focused on healthcare access, systemic barriers, and community-engaged health equity. Published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health.
Facilitator of psychoeducational programs, support groups, and community learning experiences. Certified facilitator of Navigating Brain Fog.
Program Development & Facilitation
Selected Work
Media & Advocacy
Local Resources for Metastatic Breast Cancer
Speaking with KXAN about local resources, advocacy, and sustained support for patients and families.
Published Research
Cancer Disparities and the Political Economy of Healthcare Access: A County-Level Analysis in a High-Disparity County
A multi-year qualitative study examining barriers to cervical cancer care for Hispanic immigrant women and strategies for community-engaged health-equity research.