JOHNS HOPKINS PATIENT ADVOCATE HONORED WITH ‘PROFESSOR OF SURVIVORSHIP’ AWARD

Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
Office of Public Affairs
Media Contact: Amy Mone
410-955-1287; [email protected]
March 7, 2006

JOHNS HOPKINS PATIENT ADVOCATE HONORED WITH ‘PROFESSOR OF SURVIVORSHIP’ AWARD

Breast cancer survivor and patient advocate Lillie Shockney, R.N., has been awarded the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Professor of Survivorship Award. Shockney is an instructor of surgery and administrative director of the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation’s Breast Center in Baltimore and the first non-physician to receive the award.

The award, accompanied by a $20,000 gift to further efforts to help cancer survivors, is given annually to leading researchers and clinicians to support work that increases understanding of the complex issues related to surviving breast cancer.

Shockney, who has worked at Johns Hopkins since 1983, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 when she was 38 years old. A second breast cancer occurred at age 40.  “As a result of ‘flipping to the other side of the rail’-- being a nurse who became a cancer patient -- I turned my energy toward helping other women who would ‘wear my bra’ in the future, as well as helping their families,” said Shockney.

“This is a tremendous honor for Lillie Shockney and a fitting tribute to her dedication, commitment and expertise,” said Martin D. Abeloff, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

At the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center, Shockney is responsible for quality of care programs, patient education programs, a survivor volunteer team, community outreach, and patient advocacy. She is a published author, having written three books on the subject of surviving breast cancer and developed a series of “Survivor Retreats,” which address patient needs following breast cancer treatment. Shockney also is co-founder of the national non-profit group Mothers Supporting Daughters with Breast Cancer.
“I am tireless in my passion to educate women so breast cancer can be caught early, greatly increasing the likelihood of survival. When breast cancer is diagnosed, I work not just to help people cope with their diagnoses and treatments, but -- equally important to me -- to help them live full lives following treatment,” said Shockney.

“I cannot think of anyone better suited to the Professor of Survivorship,” said Ted Tsangaris, M.D., chief of breast surgery and medical director of the breast center at Johns Hopkins.  “Her compassionate care, coupled with pioneering work, has taken the field of patient advocacy and living with cancer to new levels,” he added.

In announcing the award, Komen Foundation Director of Grants Dwight Randle, Ph.D., said, “Lillie Shockney understands the concerns breast cancer survivors have. The practical knowledge she brings to patients every day represents a growing discipline that benefits patients today and will help scores of survivors in the future.”

In addition to Shockney, Jeanne Mandelblatt, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C., also received the award.

On the Web:
http://www.hopkinsbreastcenter.org
http://www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org
http://www.komen.org