For more than two decades, Cleo
Glover has used her skills, gifts
and talents as a nurse to care
for countless individuals in Hospital
Galveston on the UTMB
Health Galveston Campus.
“I’ve always had a particular liking
for supporting this population,” she
said, referring to the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice patients cared for
through the Correctional Managed Care
component of UTMB Health. “They
don’t have anyone to speak up on their
behalf.”
Working her way up from nursing
student all the way to nurse manager,
Glover has seen a lot during her years
of service, and the hospitable, caring
spirit that makes her a great leader
and caregiver extends far beyond her
professional work.
“I’m the one who always hosts our
family get-togethers, and this past holiday
season was the first time I didn’t
do our big family Christmas party,” she
said, mentioning that Thanksgiving
2022 was the last big holiday she handled
as hostess.
Her battle against breast cancer began
just a few short months before that
in August 2022.
“I was taking a shower and felt
something,” she said. “It was pretty
big, so I automatically called our clinic.
They couldn’t get me in until the end
of the month. When I finally made it
in and they felt the lump, they ordered
the tests and the results came back
positive for breast cancer.”
Glover’s ultimate diagnosis was a
type of invasive ductal carcinoma stage
II left breast cancer, and when she
heard the news, all she could think
was all the things she could have done
to cause her to develop breast cancer.
“I started thinking about how I
should have eaten better or exercised
more, but my surgical oncologist Dr.
[Colleen] Silva reassured me I didn’t do
anything wrong,” Glover said, expressing
gratitude for that reminder from
her doctor.
Her chemotherapy treatments began
shortly after that, and they took a toll
on her. From fatigue to joint pain and
nausea, Glover was feeling it all, and
that’s exactly why she had to make the
hard decision to take it easy during the
2022 holiday season.
“My fiancé and sons were informed,
however, I really didn’t plan on telling
the rest of my family until after the holidays
were over, because I didn’t want
to ruin the season for everyone with
such sad news,” said the 49-year-old
mother of four boys. “But, my oldest
son was emotionally overwhelmed and
broke down during the Thanksgiving
holidays, so I had to go ahead and
share with my remaining family and
friends. I realized that my boys needed
the support of our entire family.”
Upon sharing with her loved ones,
Glover was surprised by the response
and support she received.
“Honestly, it was challenging seeing
people concerned about me, because
I never stopped to think of how the
news would impact others,” she said.
“It really opened my eyes to see how
many people cared about me and what
they felt and thought about me. Suddenly,
I became aware it wasn’t just me
going through this alone.”
Having dedicated her life to serving
others, it took Glover some time to adjust
to being the one on the receiving
end of so much care and attention.
“It’s a totally different thing when
you’re on the other side,” she said. “It
was so heartfelt seeing all those who
showed up in service of me. When
you’re sick and things happen, you really
find out who your friends are and
who will be there.”
Despite the outpouring of support
around her, Glover still was pushing
the limits of what she could do on her
own.
I've always been very determined,
so I tested a lot of boundaries with
myself,” she said. “When I should have
been resting, I would get up and come
to work because I knew I had a longer
road ahead of me and needed to pace
myself. And frankly, I wanted to be
here at work because it took my mind
off of my issues and problems.”
From a mastectomy of her left breast
to chemo treatments and radiation,
Glover has endured a lot during her
journey, and it’s not quite over just yet.
“I’ll be starting immunotherapy soon,
and then I’ll have another surgery,”
she said, mentioning that she hopes to
wait until after the start of 2024 for the
procedure.
The lengthy process has been one
that’s been filled with both good days
and bad days.
“There were days where emotionally
and mentally I didn’t feel like myself,
especially looking in the mirror and
I didn’t have my hair. I didn’t even
recognize myself,” she said. “It almost
makes you feel as if you don’t have a
purpose. I felt all those things. I felt so
much, but on those hard days I would
just start counting down from five to
get out of bed, and then I’d do it again
to get me to the next step.”
As she worked to make it to each
next step, the loved ones and colleagues
she had in her corner helped
give her the additional strength she
needed to keep going, as did the care
team she had guiding her along the
way.
“I had wonderful doctors,” she said.
“I thank them so much for thinking
outside of the box as they cared for
me.”
This feature first ran as a story in the 2023 Think Pink special section of the Daily News. You can view the full publication online or download the PDF .