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Oncology Nursing Foundation Celebrates the Importance of Mentorship in Nursing

(April 19, 2022) PITTSBURGH  The Oncology Nursing Foundation announces the recipient of the 2022 Connie Henke Yarbro Excellence in Cancer Nursing Mentorship Award is Kathleen Shannon Dorcy, PhD, RN, FAAN. Kathleen is a nurse scientist and the director of research, scholarships, and program development at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance–Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Kathleen will be honored at the Oncology Nursing Foundation award celebration on Thursday, April 28, from 5-6:30 pm at the 47th Annual ONS Congress® in Anaheim, CA.

The Connie Henke Yarbro Excellence in Cancer Nursing Mentorship Award was established to recognize and support excellence in oncology nursing mentorship in the name of a founding member of the Oncology Nursing Society and Foundation, Connie Henke Yarbro. Those who nominated Kathleen wrote, “We have observed her unique ability to recognize the potential in other people and her generosity of spirit to help that potential become a reality.” Tracy Gosselin, PhD, RN, AOCN®, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the Oncology Nursing Foundation added, “The Foundation is delighted to recognize Kathleen for her caring investment in the career development of many oncology nurses whom she has mentored.”

Kathleen began her oncology nursing career working at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in pediatric bone marrow transplantation. She then moved into clinical research, coordinating early-phase monoclonal antibody studies. After graduating with a master’s degree from the University of Washington, she began teaching in the School of Nursing at the University of Washington Tacoma. Her teaching and mentoring of nurses for more than 30 years helped her see many grow into expert clinicians, leaders, and educators within the oncology profession. Kathleen’s doctoral dissertation at the University of Utah included the study of hope and its implications for people deciding to participate in cancer research. In 2017, she worked with clinical oncology teams in Kampala, Uganda, to build an oncology curriculum for nurses at the Uganda Cancer Institute.

“As an oncology nurse for more than 30 years, I am most honored to be selected for this meaningful, prestigious award, as Connie Henke Yarbro has been an exemplar for me in my career,” said Kathleen. “My heart is deeply touched that my wonderful colleagues collaborated to make this nomination possible. To be held in such kind respect by these experts in oncology is a most gracious and cherished professional gift to me in my career.”

The Oncology Nursing Society created the Oncology Nursing Foundation in 1981 to accept charitable contributions to advance these important activities on behalf of oncology nursing. The mission of the Oncology Nursing Foundation is to support oncology nursing excellence.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals and institutions, the Oncology Nursing Foundation has awarded more than $30 million in funding since its inception for oncology nursing education, research, and leadership development, giving nurses the opportunity to pursue excellence in delivering care to patients with cancer. 

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Media Contact:
Nicole Lininger     
nlininger@ons.org