One of the aspects I enjoyed most about being a nurse was the unique opportunity to also serve as a patient advocate. I began my nursing career at UT Southwestern Medical Center almost six years ago, as a surgery nurse. UT Southwestern is a leader in the medical community due to its outstanding educational programs, innovative basic and clinical research, and unwavering commitment to provide excellent patient care at every level throughout the institution. As a nurse, I truly enjoyed coordinating with a multidisciplinary team, problem solving, and working with my patients to serve their needs, no matter how unique or challenging. Our Kidney Cancer Program embodies all of this, and more.
A part of my story that is unique is that I am a living kidney donor; I donated my left kidney to my father in 2015. Thanks to our wonderful transplant team, we are both doing very well. This was the first time I was on the receiving end of a large multidisciplinary team approach, and it was truly eye opening. I was amazed at the level of teamwork and logistical planning it took to go from living donor candidate, to surgery, and through recovery. As a nurse, I could only imagine how much behind the scenes work my transplant coordinator did that I was never aware of. Because of her efforts, however, our journey was as smooth as one could hope for. This incredible experience inspired me to become involved in this side of patient care, and contribute to making a patient’s difficult journey as easy as possible.
As Director of Patient Experience for the UT Southwestern Kidney Cancer Program, it is my goal to support patients and their caregivers during a chaotic and uncertain time in their life. Whether it’s relaying a question or concern, arranging an appointment, or simply listening, it will be my pleasure to assist our patients however I can, helping them navigate the system with as little anxiety as possible. At the Kidney Cancer Program, we strive to provide the best comprehensive patient care, and I am looking forward to being a part of that care.
