ABOUT
Susan D. Flynn
​“Susan was an extraordinary mother, a loving and devoted wife, and a widely-admired and caring friend to many. In addition to being a successful businesswoman and a Master Gardener, she was also an enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer.”
-Mr. Flynn
What is the Susan D. Flynn Oncology Nursing Fellowship?
​In the loving memory of his wife Susan D. Flynn, who died of ovarian cancer in 2013, and out of respect for the wonderful quality of nursing care she received during her illness, her husband Fred created the Susan D. Flynn Oncology Nursing Fellowship Program to help stimulate the career interest and foster the professional development of potential Oncology Nurses. The program, which was modeled after the Carol A. Ghiloni Oncology Nursing Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital which Fred co-sponsors, is available to rising seniors at several leading undergraduate nursing schools. The Fellowship provides aspiring nurses with a comprehensive clinical exposure to oncology nursing plus exposure to "best practices" and expert training in compassionate care. Opportunities to attend various pertinent internal educational programs and meetings with key hospital staff members provide additional learning experiences for the Fellows.
In 2014 this Fellowship Program was successfully “piloted” with Greenwich Hospital, Stamford Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Wentworth-Douglass Hospital. Several additional leading cancer care hospitals have since been added as program partners. The total number of student nurse participants was expanded from 26 Fellows in 2015 to 36 Flynn Fellows in 2016, primarily reflecting the addition of a new Pediatric Oncology Nursing Program track with three leading Pediatric Hospitals. Over time, the goal is to expand this program nationally.
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Susan D. Flynn Oncology Nursing Fellowship 2017
Maxwell Sorett
Maxwell Sorett was placed at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill-Cornell. He was rotated between three medical oncology units, one outpatient infusion center, and one radiation oncology clinic. He presented an evidence-based research project on utilizing non-pharmacological techniques to better control a cancer patient’s pain.
“My time as a Flynn Fellow at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill-Cornell Hospital was truly unforgettable. During my eight weeks there, I was rotated to three medical oncology units, one radiation oncology clinic, and one outpatient infusion center. I cannot emphasize enough how valuable this experience was not only to my professional growth, but also to my personal growth. The nature of cancer makes hematology/oncology nursing extremely complex. While, of course, the cancer itself is a major concern, you’re always having to balance medication/treatment-related side effects, complications, and psychosocial problems that arise. Learning to master this balancing act by shadowing the nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian was the most valuable aspect of this program. I was forced to think holistically, and understand not only individual problems, but the contexts in which they arose. Just as well, I learned the value of simply sitting and listening to patients. Cancer is truly one of the most terrifying things that can happen to a person. Having the privilege to be the person a cancer patient could talk or vent to is indescribable. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have learned from both patients and nurses alike, and I am sure that the knowledge I gained through my internship will be very useful for my future career.”
-Maxwell Sorett (Flynn Fellow 2017)
