Stanford Hospital Nurse Wins OCN Nurse of the Year.

STANFORD, Calif. -- This week, Debra Thaler-DeMers, a cancer survivor and Stanford oncology nurse, will receive the equivalent of the Academy Award for nursing - The OCN(R) Nurse of the Year Award. This award presented at the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) Annual Congress is given to one nurse who has made significant contributions to oncology nursing, oncology service and nursing certification. Thaler-DeMers, highlighted for her education efforts, lectures around the United States on fertility issues for cancer survivors and sexual side effects of treatment, while teaching OCN Review classes at the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society.

"When I was going through treatment, I was introverted and shy and didn't speak up for myself," said Thaler-DeMers. "I want to teach other patients about the team approach to planning and decision making. Patients need to learn to speak up and work with their physicians."

In 1980, ranked second in her law school class, Thaler-DeMers was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. She was one of four members of her family with the disease and had no idea of the impact it would make on her life and the lives of future cancer survivors. After her battle with cancer, she changed careers to become an oncology nurse.

"We are so proud and honored to have Debra as part of our staff," said Cindy Day, Vice President of Nursing at Stanford Hospital. "Debra is greatly admired for her work in nursing, teaching, promoting professional development and advocating for patients and families. She is definitely deserving of this award."

Thaler-DeMers' passion for teaching parallels her patient advocacy efforts. She publishes articles in nursing journals and holds cancer support groups for patients and their families. As a long term member of the Board of Directors of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), the oldest survivor led advocacy group in the United States, she was involved in changing the terminology from cancer "victim" to "cancer survivor," and was part of the team that developed the Cancer Survival Toolbox to teach skills needed to get through cancer from diagnosis to long term survivorship or death. In addition, she co-authored a 35 page pamphlet called "Teamwork: How to Talk to Your Doctor," and a whitepaper about survivorship that sparked the National Cancer Institute to open the Office of Cancer Survivorship to focus on research relating to cancer survivors. NCCS played a key role in the first generation of what eventually became the HIPAA laws.

"I am so honored to have won this award," said Thaler-DeMers. "Having been a cancer patient myself, I am eager to improve the quality of life for other cancer patients and their families. You can't always control the quantity of life, but you can enhance the quality of life."

About Stanford Hospital

Stanford Hospital and Clinics is a university-owned, non-profit corporation known for advanced patient care. The 613-bed hospital in Northern California consistently ranks among the top in the nation in surveys by consumers and health professionals. Stanford Hospital and Clinics, in cooperation with the Stanford University Medical School, has pioneered medical advances that save lives and protect against disease. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.stanfordhospital.com.