CPEN Awards
-Rising Star Award
-Excellence in Patient Education Award, and
-Distinguished Service Award
Nominations are now closed. Award winners were recognized at the conference in Buffalo on 8-9 September 2011. See the nomination forms for more information.
New in 2011! Rising Star Award (CPEN Members Only)
This new award recognizes a CPEN member with 10 years or less of patient education experience, who exemplifies outstanding work in patient education. The award acknowledges the educator’s efforts in creating and/or sustaining cancer patient education programs. The “Rising Star Award” promotes the visibility and value of patient education within health care institutions, communities and/or professional organizations.
2011 Recipient
Becki Brown, MA
Becki Brown is the coordinator of Guest Services and Cancer Library at Summa Health in Akron, OH. She manages the Cancer Resource Library and coordinates their supportive care program s. She also coordinates the health system’s uninsured mammography program for women in Northeast Ohio. As a cancer survivor, Becki attributes her personal cancer experience and support from her mother in propelling her into her life’s work – educating cancer survivors on the local, state, and national level. She is a very active CPEN member serving on multiple committees. Becki is currently Chair-Elect and she will serve as CPEN Chair for 2013.
Excellence in Cancer Patient Education
Recognizes a CPEN member or group of CPEN members who have significantly contributed to patient education. This award recognizes creative approaches to developing and/or disseminating patient education based on resources available.
2011 Recipient
Matthew Ballo, MD for the Road to Wellness
Dr. Matthew Ballo received the The Excellence in Patient Education award for his Road to Wellness program with MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Ballo is a radiation oncologist with the MD Anderson Regional Care Center in the Bay Area. The Road to Wellness Program is a comprehensive lifestyle rehabilitation program designed to reinforce wellness and supportive concepts of survivorship to patients receiving active cancer care. It is a five step program that implements evidence-based interventions with the aim of improving disease outcomes and quality of life beyond treatment.
Past Winners
2010 Maximizing Your Patient Education Skills (MPES)
2009 Caregivers’ Guide to Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant, Myra Jacobs
2008 The Learning Center at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
2007 Diane Moyer, RN, MS, Ohio State University Medical Center
The Partnership for Health Care Education For Limited English Proficiency Patients
2007 Jean Hartford-Todd, CCLS, The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center
2003 Oncology Interactive Educational Series, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network
2001 Leah Mraz, BSN, RN, OCN, My Story: A Diary for People With Cancer, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey
2000 Marilyn McCubbin, PhD, RN, FAAn, Kelly Cotter, BA, Michael Dystra, BS Outlook: Life Beyond Childhood Cancer, University of Wisconsin Cancer Center
2000 M.D. Anderson Patient Education Office, University of Texas
2000 Carolyn Weaver, RN, MSN, AOCN, Ask the Expert Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center
2000 Tanya Smith, BA & Patient and Public Education Departmental Staff,
How to Help Your Loved One Stop Smoking, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah
1999 Amy Deshler, MSW, Kelli Fee-Schroeder, RN, and Kat Thieman, MBA
Setting Course to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
1999 Dr. Joel Goldwein and Dr. Ivor Benjamin, OncoLink, University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center
1999 Mary Sumpmann, Nancy Goldstein and Staff, Patient Learning Center, University of Minnesota Cancer Center
Distinguished Service Award
CPEN’s highest form of recognition given to a CPEN member for her/his outstanding contribution to the practice and profession of patient education. It is given for accomplishments and tangible contributions that have promoted excellence in patient education as an integral part of patient care.
2011 Recipient
Lynda Tuñon, MSN, RN, OCN
Lynda was presented the Distinguished Service Award for her significant contributions to patient education. Lynda is currently the Director of Cancer Education at The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. She is an expert in patient education and program leadership and administration.
Lynda’s love for working with cancer patients began as a nursing student at Cornell/New York Hospital during her rotation at Memorial Sloan Kettering. She was greatly inspired by the interactions she had with the patients and staff at an institution that offered the latest cancer care and research. This is when she set her goal to work at an NCI-designated cancer center. In 1993, Lynda was recruited to work as an information specialist at the new NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI); some time later she was promoted to oncology educator. Over the years she has served as manager of Patient Education and currently holds the position as Direct of Cancer Center Education.
More than twelve years ago, Lynda was introduced to CPEN, when she was given the responsibility to host the annual CPEN conference at UPCI. Since then, Lynda has embraced her relationship with CPEN, for cultivating professional growth and meaningful relationships with members from across the U.S. and Canada. She has made a point of never missing an annual conference. Linda has been an active member of CPEN, participating on the Marketing and Membership, New Member Orientation, and Learning Resource Center (LRC) committees. As a former co-chair of the LRC, Lynda was one of the authors of Creating and Managing a Cancer Learning Resource Center: Guidance from CPEN on Developing, Organizing, and Managing a Cancer Learning Resource Center.
Lynda attributes her success as a patient educator and program leader to the mentoring and resources she has obtained from CPEN.
Past Winners
2010 Pat Agre, RN, EdD
2009 Audrey Jusko Friedman
2008 Jean Just, MSN, RN-BC, The Ohio State University Medical Center
2005 Diane Cole, MPH, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center
2002 Annette Mercurio, MPH, CHES, City of Hope National Medical Center
2001 Barbara Schroeder, RN, MS, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
2000 Louise Villejo, MPH, CHES,
University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
1999 Kathryn Conrad, RN, MSN, MA, AOCN,
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Gold Star Award
Recognizes that cancer patient education is an aspect of quality care, shared by the entire community, and not the sole responsibility of cancer patient educators. The Gold Star award celebrates the achievements of individuals, groups or organizations whose efforts in cancer patient education have resulted in extraordinary contributions to patients, families or health care practitioners.
Past Winners
2010 Journey Forward, a collaboration between the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, WellPoint, UCLA and Genentech — www.journeyforward.org
2009 Katherine Crosson
2008 The National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, Southfield Michigan
2007 David Wiljer, PhD, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto
2006 Betty R. Ferrell, PhD, RN, FAAN, Marcia M. Grant, RN, DNSc, FAAN City of Hope National Medical Center
2003 Audrey Jusko Friedman, RTT, MSW
Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network
2002 Huntsman Cancer Institute, Patient & Public Education Resource Center
2000 National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship,
Oncology Nursing Society, Association of Oncology Social Work, and Genetech BioOncology, Inc., The Cancer Survival Toolbox
1999 Barbara Giloth, MPH, CHES,
American Public Health Association
1999 Dianne G. Shaw, MA,
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina