Introducing the Oncology Section’s newest board member, our new legislative chair: 

Nancy Roberge, PT, DPT, M.Ed
Passion:  Promoting PT intervention as a routine part of the critical pathway for Oncology patients and helping PTs and patients understand why we all must be proactive in the legislative process. 

• Education     
• Professional
• Affiliations
• Awards
• Personal
• Email

Education

Dr. Nancy Roberge has been a Physical Therapist and clinician for over 30 years, receiving her BS in Physical Therapy from Boston Bouve College, her Master’s in Health Care and Rehabilitation Administration from Northeastern University and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Simmons College.  She is educated in the LeDuc and Upledger methods of manual lymphatic drainage and has taken numerous APTA oncology courses. 

Professional

Nancy has professional interests in Women’s health; treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, breast cancer and physical therapy intervention and in clinical research, as well as physical therapy advocacy efforts.  After receiving her bachelor’s, Dr. Roberge began working at the Robert B. Brigham Hospital (now known as the Brigham and Women’s Hospital), where she also did orthopedic research from 1980 to 1988 as a research associate in orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School while at the BWH. 

Currently, Nancy works as the Director at Chestnut Hill Physical Therapy Associates, a private practice dedicated to women with breast cancer. Dr. Roberge’s professional focus is on getting Physical Therapy into the critical pathway of the patient with breast cancer.  She is passionate about providing education for the breast cancer patient to try to reduce the risk of lymphedema.  Lymphedema is not well understood and often misunderstood.  Nancy would like to show through evidenced-based practice and future research that with Physical Therapy intervention (rehabilitation efforts of patient education, manual therapy techniques and exercise) that the incidence of lymphedema might be reduced and that through physical therapy, patients can return safely to their pre-morbid level of functional activities.  She has specialized in the care of women and men after breast cancer treatment since 1993.  She lectures locally to Physical Therapy programs to educate, excite and motivate students to consider the Physical Therapy needs of the breast cancer patient.  She also lectures to Radiation Oncology nurses and doctors, breast surgeons and support groups, health clubs, hospital PT/OT departments and The Wellness Community on the need for and the benefits of Physical Therapy intervention in the patient with breast cancer.

Affiliations

She is an active APTA member including advocacy work locally and in Washington, DC, and has recently been appointed Legislative Chair of the Oncology Section of the APTA.  Dr. Roberge maintains her membership in the Women’s Health, Oncology, Geriatrics, and Health Policy & Administration sections of the APTA.  In 1994, Nancy was appointed to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Osteoporosis Advisory Board and curriculum committee, where she remained a member until 2002.  Since 1990, Nancy has been an active member of the Massachusetts American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) and several  APTA  of MA committees, including the Education and Program Committee, Private Practice, Delegate-at–large and she continues involvement in the Legislative Committee, Chair from 1996 to present, PAC Committee, Assembly Representative  and Federal Government Affairs Liaison for the past 8 years. 

Nancy has spent significant time lobbying state and federal policy makers about health care and specifically, Physical Therapy and patient issues.  She helped develop PT Day at the Hill to be an annual event at the Statehouse in Boston where PT's and PT students alike meet with legislators to help them understand the profession of physical therapy and the needs of the physical therapy patient as they relate to pending legislation.  She travels yearly to Washington, D.C., to educate legislators to the plight of the Medicare patient and to other issues relevant to health care, physical therapy and her patients.  Dr. Roberge is passionate about her profession and the need to Educate, Advocate and Participate in the legislative process as the voice of the patient and profession.

Awards

In 1996 she was awarded the MA Chapter APTA Award of Excellence in Clinical Practice and in 1999 she was nominated for Outstanding Alumni Award at Northeastern University.  In 2004 she received the APTA of MA’s Mary MacDonald distinguished service award.  In 2005 she was profiled in Joanne Gordon’s book “Be Happy At Work: 100 Women Who Love Their Jobs, and Why”.  In 2005 she received the first annual Rachel Carson Advocacy Award from the Silent Spring Institute for her advocacy efforts in breast cancer and the environment. 

Personal

Nancy loves being outside and really enjoys a good brisk walk or run at least 4-5x/week.  The PT students tried to keep up with her during their travel and lobbying tour to Washington, DC, she has not yet learned to "stroll" and will save that for retirement.  She also does "therapeutic" gardening, as she enjoys being in the dirt and nurturing the plants.

Hiking in the spring and fall as well as cross-country skiing in the winter round out her sports.   She also enjoys being a spectator of sports-football is her passion attending Boston College games routinely.  If not at the game, she watches it on TV.  If not Boston College, she roots for her brother’s team, Notre Dame, or the New England Patriots.  She admits that as a PT, it is hard to watch such a violent sport but she notes, “I just love it”.

Favorite places:

Turks & Caicos in the Caribbean where she and her husband (her best friend) escape every winter for a week of heaven.  Snorkeling, running on the beach, swimming, a good book under the umbrella and ahhhh.  She loves the West, especially Alaska, Arizona and Sedona (Red Rock Country) and the Grand Canyon (humbling place to experience), Santa Fe and Taos in New Mexico.  She loves the openness, especially in contrast to the geographically stressed New England area. 

Nancy gives out communion to nursing home residents monthly locally and serves as a new member of her church's pastoral council. 

We are excited to welcome Nancy Roberge, PT, DPT, MEd, as our new legislative chair for the oncology section.  Nancy is very anxious to help promote the agenda to improve cancer care across the nation, and to that end invites you to email her with any suggestions you may have at nroberge1@verizon.net   We look forward to an exciting time with Dr. Roberge at our helm for legislative affairs in Oncology.