Cancerwise

Not everyone enters health care because of a lifelong dream — sometimes, it’s a gentle nudge that sets them on this path. And for Radiation Therapist Adela McCurley, that nudge came from her dad. 

“My dad said, ‘I think you’d be great doing X-rays,’ and I was like, ‘OK!’ That was literally how it went, and I just fell in love with it from there,” she says. 

McCurley initially applied to an X-ray program but soon discovered radiation therapy, a field she has worked in for the past 20 years at MD Anderson. 

Setting the tone for patients’ treatment experience

Radiation therapy patients often arrive feeling scared and nervous, McCurley says, and it’s therapists who often set the tone for their treatment experience. McCurley makes it her goal to bring a little laughter and joy to patients.

“You can pick up on the vibes from patients — who's open to joking around and needs a laugh, and who’s strictly business,” she says. “It’s enlightening to bring a sense of joy back to patients who are scared, and to be there, holding their hand throughout the process.” 

She says older patients sometimes comment on how young she looks and ask how long she’s been working at MD Anderson. 

“I’ll say something like, ‘I just started,’” she says. “When they look surprised, I’ll say I’m joking and that I’ve actually been here for 20 years, and we start laughing. Moments like that help break up the tension.”

McCurley spent most of her career operating radiation treatment machines, but she now leads the CT-Simulator team, a critical part of the radiation therapy process for patients. Similar to standard CT scans, CT-Simulators help map out treatment. Depending on the tumor’s location, McCurley and her team may create a custom mold or mask, mark the patient’s body, and walk them through what to expect.

"This is often the first step in treatment, and patients can feel anxious. But McCurley has a calming presence that helps ease their stress," says radiation oncologist Michael Spiotto, M.D., Ph.D.

One time, McCurley could tell a patient was nervous about her setup and about needing to hold her breath during parts of the treatment. She assured the patient she would coach her through it — and then McCurley started asking about the patient’s cozy outfit. The patient immediately started telling her all about it and the fuzzy lining — completely taking her mind off the task at hand while the radiation therapists moved her around and got her positioned.  

When it came time for the patient to hold her breath, McCurley told her, “Just listen to me, and do the best you can.” In no time, the patient was steadily holding her breath, and the scans were over.

Building personal connections 

Building personal connections with patients is important to McCurley. Patients see their radiation therapists regularly over the course of their treatment. So, they often see them not just as medical professionals, but as personal therapists as well. 

“We get close to them, and they want to share with us because they don’t want to be a burden to their family,” McCurley says. “They don't want their family members to see they're hurting, so they let us see that part of them. Then we get to help them through the dark times. We treat them like people, and that helps them through everything.” 

Handling difficult situations with care

Radiation physicist Julianne Pollard-Larkin, Ph.D., describes McCurley as “an elite team member.” 

“She handles the most difficult tasks with ease and aplomb,” Pollard-Larkin says. “She’s the radiation therapist we call when we have a difficult patient setup, and the stakes are high, but it needs to be done perfectly.”

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