Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com
Author: staff

The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology has selected Peggy Wiederholt, R.N., as the inaugural winner of the ASTRO Nurse Excellence Award, which is awarded to a registered nurse who goes above and beyond the normal standards of nursing practice. Ms. Wiederholt was presented with her award, a $1,000 grant, at the nurses’ welcome and orientation luncheon held Sunday, September 21, 2008, at 12:00 p.m. during ASTRO’s 50th Annual Meeting in Boston.

Ms. Wiederholt is the head and neck oncology nurse coordinator at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center in Madison, Wis., where she is responsible for bridging communication between patients and providers, assisting patient needs, coordinating care, managing chemoradiation-induced symptoms and side effects, and providing patient, family and staff education. She has worked in the University of Wisconsin System for over 25 years, the last five of which were in the Radiation Oncology Department.

During her time as a radiation oncology nurse, Ms. Wiederholt co-founded “Heads Up,” a head and neck cancer patient support group at the Carbone Cancer Center and now serves as the group’s co-director. In January 2007 she served as a member of the steering committee for the first multidisciplinary head and neck cancer symposium sponsored by ASTRO, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Head and Neck Society. Ms. Wiederholt has also co-authored a cancer patient handbook titled, “The Write Track, a Personal Health Tracker for Cancer Patients.”

For the past two years, Ms. Wiederholt has served as chair of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinic’s annual head and neck cancer awareness week that includes free public oral screenings and community and staff education on head and neck cancers. She also has helped organize the first and second annual University of Wisconsin head and neck cancer golf outing and dinner, which recognizes the courage of head and neck cancer survivors and their families.

“Peggy is the epitome of a great nurse and I am thrilled that she was selected as the first recipient of the nursing award,” said Linda Filipczak, R.N., B.S.N., M.B.A., chair of ASTRO’s Nursing Committee. “It’s inspiring how she is able to devote so much time and attention to her patients while at the same time is able to find time to participate in professional head and neck cancer meetings and numerous community service projects.”

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 9,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy.