Heartfelt essays from patients honor three extraordinary oncology nurses at a reception featuring Actor, Producer, Director & Bestselling Author, Rob Lowe
Anaheim, Calif. (May 9, 2014) – CURE magazine announced the winner of the 2014
Extraordinary Healer Award for Oncology Nursing during a special award ceremony
at the Oncology Nursing Society’s
(ONS) 39th Annual Congress.
The award, now in its eighth year, was made possible through financial
support from Amgen
Oncology’s Breakaway from Cancer® and Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company.
The winner was one of three nurse finalists, nominated through an essay contest,
which asked cancer patients, survivors and caregivers from across the country
to nominate oncology nurses who demonstrate exceptional compassion, expertise
and commitment in their patients’ fight against cancer.
In front of more than 750 of her peers, Cindi
Cantril, RN, OCN, from Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation in Santa Rosa, Calif.,
was given this year’s Extraordinary
Healer Award. Cantril’s extraordinary nursing ability was highlighted in an
essay written by Ann Tallman of Windsor, Calif., who is a breast cancer
survivor and colleague of Cantril’s.
Tallman described in detail not only the many ways
that Cantril cared for her during her diagnosis, surgery and treatment, but
also how Cantril went above and beyond to develop programs to support people
living with cancer. Cantril developed a peer-to-peer support program called WINGS
— Women Inspiring, Nurturing, Giving, Supporting — in which volunteer survivors
are paired with newly-diagnosed women for support. The program has been so
successful that it has been expanded to help women with other types of cancer,
not just breast cancer. A men’s group — called WINGMEN — has also grown from
Cantril’s efforts. Cantril is currently developing an equine therapy program
for patients to work with the healing power of horses.
“When
we read these essays, there are just moments when the visual takes over and you
can see the nurse taking part in the patient’s life in a real and tangible
way,” says Kathy LaTour, cancer survivor and editor-at-large of CURE. “Tallman described the anxiety
before her surgery. But when she felt Cantril take her hand, she knew ‘everything
would be all right.’ It was simply a moment that was made a hundred times better
because someone cared.”
This
year’s guest speaker, Actor, Producer, Director and Bestselling Author Rob
Lowe, spoke to the crowd about his family’s experiences with cancer. Lowe joined
CURE and the event’s sponsors in
thanking the oncology nurses in attendance for all that they do on behalf of
their patients.
In addition to Cantril, two other pairs of nurse finalists
and essayists were honored at the reception. Noelle Paul, RN, OCN, CAPA, from
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, was nominated by caregiver Mary Kay
Morelli of Sparta, N.J., and Anne Todd, RN, OCN, from Indiana University Health
Southern Indianan Physicians, was nominated by caregiver Chuck Wilson of
Bloomington, Ind.
The
winning essay will be featured in the summer 2014 issue of CURE, a free, quarterly magazine for cancer
patients, survivors and caregivers. All three of the finalist essays, photos
and videos from the event, will be featured beginning June 12, 2014. Additionally, the essays, photos and more
will be available on CURE’s Facebook
page at http://www.facebook.com/curemagazine.
About CURE Magazine
CURE
magazine is a free, award-winning publication from Dallas-based CURE Media
Group. By combining science and humanity, CURE helps patients, survivors
and caregivers navigate the cancer journey and understand their diagnosis and
treatment, while providing tools to cope during and after cancer—ultimately
helping them to live the life they aspire to live. Through the magazine and its
associated website, an annual resource guide for the newly diagnosed, books,
and a variety of resources aimed at enhancing communication between healthcare
professionals and patients, CURE provides a wealth of resources for
everyone on the cancer journey. CURE Media Group is affiliated with McKesson Specialty Health, a
division of McKesson Corporation.
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