DeAnn Gallatin waves as the crowd cheers at Paycor Stadium. As she’s recognized as the Hometown Hero at the recent Cincinnati Bengals’ Crucial Catch game, an announcer reads highlights from her 40-year career of going above and beyond for patients and co-workers. 

She never imagined her work would lead to her standing on a stage, surrounded by Who Dey and the Ben-Gals, being honored during the Bengals Crucial Catch game. 

But what sounds extraordinary to some is what DeAnn considers ordinary. Because, as she explains, “that’s just what we do.”

Removing barriers

An oncology social worker, DeAnn supports radiation oncology patients at Kettering Health Main Campus and its cancer center. While she says no two days are the same, her focus remains unchanged: helping others when life shifts to the unexpected. 

“After a cancer diagnosis, life doesn’t just change for the patient. It can change for their family overnight. Suddenly, you’re here; you’re having scans and possibly surgery; you may be having chemo or radiation; you may not be going back to work; you may be unable to drive. Everything just starts snowballing.” 

That’s where DeAnn steps in. She has a knack for understanding what people need most and getting the resources to help. When a patient struggled to find transportation and nutritious food, she researched and mapped an RTA bus route that stopped at a food pantry on the patient’s way home. When a patient faced financial challenges, she contacted community organizations and found support for them to cover their mortgage for a few months and their car payment and utilities—all within a week. 

With those obstacles no longer weighing on their minds, patients can put more of their focus and energy into recovery.

“Patients are trying to get here, and they’re not feeling well. Then they go home, and they’re stacking up the bills because they can’t even stand to look at them. And it just hangs over their head the entire time that they’re getting treatment. The idea that I could step in there…It’s such a good feeling to just know that they’re not going home and worrying at night about how they’re going to pay next month’s rent.”

Sometimes what starts as a conversation leads to something bigger. In 2018, a patient asked DeAnn about resources that could explain their cancer recurrence to their young child. And when she couldn’t find local resources, DeAnn—once again—removed barriers. 

“I started thinking about what we could do, and everything started falling into place. God absolutely had a hand in that.”

A chance conversation at a conference. Multiple grants to send team members to training and purchase supplies. And a team who understood the impact this could have. A year later, Kettering Health’s CLIMB program began, becoming the only health system in the state to offer this program. 

The CLIMB program (Children’s Lives Include Moments of Bravery) is for children ages 5-12 who have a family member with cancer. Through the six-week course, kids build coping skills and learn about cancer through creative projects. 

“In CLIMB, we teach the tools to deal with the many emotions that come along with someone in your family having cancer.”

And the children aren’t the only ones learning.

“It doesn’t sound like it’d be fun to be talking to kids about cancer and knowing that their parents are sick. But I learn so much from them—their resilience and how they can talk about the difficult stuff. And the next thing you know, we’re talking about zombies and Taylor Swift. It’s like they deal with it, and they move on. And when they’re ready to deal with it again, they do.”

From behind the scenes to front of stage

DeAnn was humbled—and initially speechless, which “hardly ever happens”—when she learned she was named Hometown Hero by the Bengals. It carries an important meaning for her. 

“I really appreciate that I can represent the other really, really hard-working social workers throughout our system. Everybody’s working behind the scenes to make sure that patients get what they need, both personally and medically. I’m standing up there for all of you guys.”

And while she was honored to be recognized, a different moment from the game stuck with her.

Celebrating the victories

The Bengals’ Crucial Catch game, played this year on October 6, is part of the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative to promote cancer prevention and early detection. And during halftime, fans cheered for a different team as Dr. Anthony Paravati, a radiation oncologist, took the field with six cancer survivors. 

Each survivor rang a special Crucial Catch bell, signifying their fight against the disease. The enthusiasm was palpable–so much so that, in one bell-ringing instance, the bell toppled off the stand. Fans joined in, waving rally towels bearing the names of those in their lives impacted by cancer.

“It was really emotional. Being present and having all the survivors and Dr. Paravati ringing the bell. That really meant a lot to me,” said DeAnn. “I felt part of a bigger team.”

Pregame activities brought the Crucial Catch message to fans before they reached the stadium gates. They posed with photo props and wrote the names of loved ones on an “I Celebrate” banner to honor a cancer journey. They also donated to the Crucial Catch fund—supporting cancer prevention, early detection, and risk reduction—by purchasing a limited-edition Cincy Hat, purchasing commemorative tickets from Metabilia, or donating at the Great Clips station to get their hair sprayed with the bright Crucial Catch colors that represent different types of cancer.

Every activity focused on a singular effort: Encouraging cancer screenings, because early detection saves lives. 

And in the instance where you, too, may face the unexpected, know that DeAnn and others are working behind the scenes to help. 

“I always tell my patients . . . You’ve got all the support you need from everybody here, and it’s time to let us help you. And I know you’re going to go on and help somebody else.”