At 42 years old, Amy Alagar received a diagnosis that changed everything. Since then, she has overcome more than most people do within their lives.

For as long as Alagar can remember she has always had a passion for learning. After 24 years as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), she made the decision to return to school at Galen College of Nursing’s Louisville campus in 2024.

“I knew if I wanted to continue my education, I needed to immediately pursue it. If I put it off – you know, I put off being an RN for 24 years – it may not happen,” Alagar said.

At age 42, she enrolled in Galen College of Nursing’s LPN to RN Bridge Program. Once she graduated, Alagar enrolled in the RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program.

“I just went back when life was still happening, and then I proved to myself that I could still finish anyway. It was never a perfect time. I mean, there’s always a way and a will, and if you want something bad enough, you’re going to find a way to get it,” said Alagar.

In May of 2025, halfway through her program, Alagar got the news no one ever wants to hear: “You have breast cancer.”

“I’m the nurse, I’m supposed to be responsible for taking care of my patients. You don’t ever think of obtaining such a diagnosis or being ill or having any kind of disease. The focus of being a nurse is to take care of others. Having to flip that role of being a caregiver and a nurse to becoming the patient is something I never thought I would have to do,” said Alagar.

Despite her shock, Alagar underwent a mastectomy while balancing academics, a full-time home health nursing job and being a mother to her three children. She never once fell behind.

“I was still committed to schoolwork and the clinical responsibilities of my job. I kept my goal [degree] as my focus. I wasn’t going to let cancer stop me from what I started,” Alagar said.

Throughout it all, Alagar says it was the support she found through Galen that kept her going. In fact, she says it taught her how resilient she can be, even when presented with life’s hardest challenges.

Through Galen’s Online RN to BSN program, Alagar said she was able to get the treatment she needed and still graduate on time with her degree.

“I know, especially with the cancer diagnosis and the BSN program, I could not have done it if it was not online, where it, you know, allowed me flexibility, and everything to do so around different doctors’ appointments. I had many, many appointments,” said Alagar.

Alagar may have just graduated in February, but she’s not done yet. In June Alagar says she’s planning to go back to school, this time to get her masters.

“That’s my main goal. I really just want to have my masters. It will all be worth it to get that,” said Alagar.

Alagar’s story is proof that it’s never the perfect time — but it is always the right time to start.

Begin your journey today with Galen College of Nursing and turn your goals into reality.

Pre‑licensure program options at Galen include a Practical Nursing (PN/VN) program, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), an ADN Bridge pathway for licensed practical or vocational nurses ready to advance their careers, and a three‑year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Apply now to start on your nursing path at Galen!