Meet the woman who brings students to the Indiana Statehouse

She’s a patient at IU Health Simon Cancer Center and enjoys a career working with students.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

As she whiled away the hours in her room at IU Health Simon Cancer Center, Heather Gallagher spent time crocheting a baby blanket for one of her doctors.

“I have had phenomenal care,” said Gallagher, who turned 58 on July 13.

“I keep a positive attitude. You can worry about things and that’s not going to change anything. I look at every day as making the most out of it and I believe having a good outlook will affect your outcomes,” said Gallagher.

Her journey to IU Health started in December 2017 when she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. For the past seven years, Gallagher had infusions every three to four weeks and has been in the care or Dr. Tarah Ballinger. “They’ll put me on something for a while. It works and then if cancer shows up someplace else, we switch to something else.”

As she paused from working the yarn on the blue blanket she was visited by one of her doctors, Jennifer Schwartz and physician assistant Kelly Fritch. She is also in the care of oncologist Dr. Kathy Miller.

Through a collaborative effort, Gallagher is receiving a new clinical trial that includes the use of CAR-T cell therapy in partnership with IU Health’s Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program. Gallagher first underwent leukapheresis to collect her T-cells (part of the immune system that protects the body from infection and may help fight cancer). She then underwent three days of chemotherapy, followed by the infusion of the CAR-T cells. The process is designed to target a protein on the surface of the cancer cell.

Throughout the process, Gallagher said she feels great and is optimistic about the new treatment. During inpatient she has taken part in massage therapy to help with the neuropathy (nerve damage) in her feet. Massage therapy is one of several offerings by IU Health’s CompleteLife, focused on the whole patient. Other therapies include yoga, art, and music.

“I just want to keep looking ahead and hope to reach a point of no evidence of disease,” said Gallagher, who has been married to her husband, Joe for 30 years. They have four adult children and one granddaughter.

Gallagher grew up in Zionsville, Ind. and went on to study sociology at Marian College. One of her greatest joys is working for the Indiana Statehouse during the legislative sessions. As Director of Student Services for the Indiana General Assembly she brings students from around the state to serve the Indiana Senate Page Program. Students have an opportunity to tour the statehouse, observe the legislative session, and meet senators, house legislators, and staff members.