CRANBURY, N.J., March 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CURE® Media Group, the industry-leading multimedia platform devoted to providing cancer updates and research to more than 1 million patients, survivors and caregivers, partners with Oncology Nursing News®, a multimedia platform dedicated to navigating care and empowering voices within the community of oncology nurses and healthcare professionals, to announce the finalists for the 2024 Extraordinary Healer® award. This award honors oncology nurses whose compassion and expertise improve the lives of their patients. The award presentations and winner announcement will be held on April 24, 2024 during the Oncology Nursing Society's Annual Congress at The Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.
“We are privileged to honor and celebrate these remarkable individuals who consistently elevate the standards of oncology care, leaving a lasting impression on the lives of countless people,” said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences®, the parent company of CURE Media Group. “Their passion and commitment inspire us all, and we express our sincere gratitude for their profound impact on the journey towards better health."
The finalists for the 2024 Extraordinary Healer award are:
- Jessica McDade, B.S.N., RN, OCN. McDade is a charge nurse at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. She decided to enter the nursing profession as a result of her mother’s experience with renal cancer when she was 15 years old. After graduation, McDade worked at a cardiac step-down unit and quickly realized it was not for her, as it was a very fast-paced, high-turnover floor. She wanted to work in an environment where she could develop relationships with patients and follow them through the process. McDade aims to develop close relationships with many of her patients in hopes that they feel comfortable under her care. In addition to her job at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where she has worked for 16 years, she also mentors newly graduated nurses with efforts including a weekly clinical group. McDade is also continuing her education at Simmons University in Boston, where she is working towards a master’s degree in nursing education. With this degree, she is hoping to continue mentoring nursing students and move her career from the bedside into an education role.
- Lauren Yakelis, B.S.N., RN. Yakelis is the manager of the Bone Marrow Transplant Clinical Program at Benson Cancer Center at Ochsner Health in New Orleans. Her responsibilities include overseeing quality metrics for bone marrow transplant, the continuation of care between inpatient and outpatient settings, educating inpatient and outpatient staff about new treatments, and maintaining accreditations. Yakelis has also played a pivotal role in launching the adult CAR-T cell therapy group, which is the first of its kind in Louisiana. While leading by example, she also goes beyond the call of duty to perform thoughtful acts of kindness to her patients, such as washing clothes for patients during extended hospital stays, organizing a Christmas reunion with a mother undergoing treatment and her children, and helping a patient with transportation to obtain medications that were not carried at the hospital’s pharmacy, among other efforts.
- Meaghan Mooney, RN, BCN, OSN. Mooney is the chief of staff at Ascension Texas in Austin, Texas. While in nursing school, she was originally gravitating towards a career in maternity and pediatrics, but a surgical rotation on an oncology floor led her on a different path. She was drawn to oncology because, although a tough area, it was very rewarding. Once Mooney graduated, she worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York before moving to the oncology floor at Seton Medical Center Austin, which is part of the Ascension health care system in Texas. She transferred to Texas Oncology in Austin, where she worked for nine years, then rejoined Ascension in 2019 as a quality and patient safety nurse. Although her current position has taken her away from patient care, she still helps patients with cancer and their families for the Wonders & Worries, a nonprofit organization that provides support for children and teenagers during a parent’s serious illness or injury.
For more information on the 2024 Extraordinary Healer event and to register, please visit the event page.
This event is supported by Johnson & Johnson.
About CURE Media Group
CURE Media Group is the leading resource for cancer updates, research and education. CURE has become the most widely distributed and read consumer publication in the United States for patients with cancer, survivors and their caregivers. The platform includes its industry-leading website curetoday.com; innovative video programs; a series of educational and inspirational events; and CURE magazine, which reaches more than 1 million readers. CURE Media Group is a brand of MJH Life Sciences®, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.
About Oncology Nursing News
Oncology Nursing News is the premier platform for oncology nursing professionals, offering a dynamic blend of print and online resources, including a bimonthly magazine, live event coverage, video interviews, and blog posts. Oncology Nursing News is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.
Media Contact:
Julia Paradizova
MJH Life Sciences
jparadizova@mjhlifesciences.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/51a436e6-e71e-44a1-9813-063712e67ef0
