Dr. Harold Burstein

Carla Chapman is praised for her compassion and unwavering support of cancer patients, while Deb Christensen continues to dedicate her life to helping cancer patients through volunteer work and education.

Caring for patients with cancer involves a lot of “big” medical moments — sharing a diagnosis, discussing end-of-life care or making decisions about surgery or chemotherapy treatments. Caring for patients with cancer also involves a lot of critical, but quiet moments — when the patient is confronting something by herself, without a phalanx of family and friends, or when she is trying to find the courage and the calmness to move forward with treatment or reach out for assistance.

It is in those quieter moments when Carla Chapman shines as a chemotherapy infusion nurse at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Her warmth, friendship and compassion that she gives to the patients in her care make her an extraordinary caregiver and an extraordinary healer. 

Carla is a seasoned professional, experience has given her assurance and confidence that her patients rely upon and value enormously. She is the calm, quiet voice when all around is noise and chaos: explaining a new treatment, outlining the follow-up care, talking about how things are going and making patients and families feel at ease in the most non-normal of moments in their lives.

As a busy oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, I cherish having nurses like Ms. Chapman to work with, and count on their humanity, wisdom and technical expertise to make the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute a special place for our patients. I have known Carla for nearly 25 years, and her unflappable, helpful and cheerful demeanor is an invaluable asset to her patients and our Institute. 

It is worth noting that Ms. Chapman serves as a floor leader in our nursing program — the nurse who helps sort out scheduling problems and adds in patients who need to be seen and otherwise makes the patient flow through the clinic “work” on a day-to-day basis. This, too, is an incredible, often underappreciated, skill that allows us to say “yes” to the complex needs of patients, and to respond to their changing clinical situations and care for them in the way that we would all like to be cared for if we were patients with cancer.

These two abilities — to be a calm, strong and comforting presence to our patients, and to facilitate their complex needs — are tremendously important to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and our patients, which make Carla both a remarkable colleague and an extraordinary healer, very deserving of recognition.

Compassionate Innovation in Oncology Nursing

In the realm of oncology nursing, few shine as brightly as Deb Christensen, a beacon of compassionate innovation. Her illustrious career, marked by profound dedication and expertise, has profoundly impacted both the field of oncology nursing and the lives of countless patients with cancer.

At the heart of Deb's career lies her role in oncology patient navigation, a field she not only excelled in but also led within a major health system. Her proficiency in guiding patients through the intricate maze of cancer treatments and her in-depth understanding of oncologic care set a high standard in patient support.

Even after her retirement, Deb's passion for helping patients with cancer remains undiminished. She volunteers tirelessly at the Cancer Help Desk, offering invaluable assistance in identifying testing and treatment options, a testament to her unwavering commitment.

Deb's influence extends beyond direct patient care. Her contributions to the Oncology Nursing Society and authorship in oncology nursing literature reflect her dedication to advancing the field through education. By sharing her vast knowledge, Deb has equipped countless professionals with the tools to provide better patient care.

What truly sets Deb apart, however, is the personal impact she has on those she helps. Patients and colleagues alike speak of her empathy, her unique ability to understand and advocate for each patient's needs, and her unwavering dedication.

Deb Christensen's legacy in oncology nursing is not just in her professional accomplishments, but in the lives she has touched, the standards she has set and the compassionate, innovative approach she embodies in her every action.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Articles

Oncology nursing is exemplified by the compassionate and innovative work of professionals like Carla Chapman and Deb Christensen. Carla, a chemotherapy infusion nurse at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is celebrated for her calm, supportive presence and leadership in patient care logistics. Deb, a retired oncology nurse, continues to impact the field through her volunteer work and contributions to oncology nursing literature. Both nurses are recognized for their profound dedication, empathy, and ability to navigate complex patient needs, setting high standards in oncology nursing and patient support.

Carla Chapman, a nurse at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is recognized for her unwavering support of patients, while Deb Christensen, an oncologist and patient advocate, dedicates her life to helping patients through volunteer work and education.

Warmth, Friendship and Compassion in Cancer Care

I am delighted to nominate my colleague and friend Dr. Nancy U. Lin for the CURE® Metastatic Breast Cancer Heroes™ award for those having impact on the lives of women with advanced breast cancer.

Dr. Nancy U. Lin. Photos by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dr. Lin has devoted her professional life to the treatment of women with breast cancer, and her academic focus has been on the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer to the brain. It is difficult to describe the devastating consequences of brain metastases on the emotional and physical well-being of our patients. Of all the awfulness of the relentless toll of breast cancer, the diagnosis of brain metastases stands alone and strikes at the core of human identity and feeling. It is most common in the most resistant, refractory of breast cancers, and there are few treatment options.

Dr. Lin has been a beacon of hope for countless women with metastatic breast cancer. Her clinical knowledge in this area is unsurpassed. However, it is her compassion, her warmth and her caring that so distinguish her remarkable work as a physician. She brings empathy and understanding of an unparalleled degree.

But her contribution has not simply been in the finest of compassionate care. She has resolved to improve outcomes for such patients, with clinical trials dedicated to the unique circumstances of such patients and by building a multidisciplinary team of experts from neurosurgery, neuroimaging and radiation oncology to help provide the optimal care of women with brain metastases.

Dr. Harold Burstein. Photo provided by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

The group collected under her leadership has revolutionized the way in which our patients with brain metastases are seen, evaluated and cared for, and achieved incredible progress in the quality of life for such women. They know that there are dedicated, caring physicians completely focused on achieving the best for them.

For women afflicted by this particular syndrome, the hope that Dr. Lin has created has proven to be a shelter, a source of comfort and a place of hope despite a very challenging diagnosis.

For her skill and wisdom as a clinician, for her insights as an investigator and for redefining how we can care for women with advanced breast cancer, Dr. Lin is most deserving of your recognition with a Metastatic Breast Cancer Heroes™ award.

A colleague honors Dr. Nancy U. Lin for her dedication to improving outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer by creating a team of neuro experts to help women with brain metastases.

Dr. Harold Burstein

Warmth, Friendship and Compassion in Cancer Care

Bringing Hope at a Dark Hour for Patients With Brain Metastases

Latest News