The First Annual NCONN Conference
"Changing the Face of Cancer Care"

Please take a moment to review pictures from our event!

The First Annual NCONN National Conference "Changing the Face of Cancer Care" was held on Saturday, October 10, 2009. There were attendees from across the country and two Canadian provinces. The keynote speaker was Dr. Harold P. Freeman, widely known as the "Father"  of patient navigation. Dr. Freeman's presentation was inspiring and was accompanied by 2 standing ovations.
 
Dr. Steven Patierno from George Washington University Cancer Center, as well as Amy Sebastian-Deutsch from Memorial Hermann Medical Center rounded out the morning with important information on disparities in cancer care and the importance of data collection in patient and nurse navigation. Both Dr. Patierno and Ms. Sebastian-Deutsch presented crucial information that will help the oncology nurse navigator to improve their programs.
 
The lunch symposium was sponsored by Myriad Genetics and presented by Ellen Kerr, RN from El Paso, TX. Ms. Kerr addressed the role of the ONN in genetic counseling.
 
The afternoon presentations included Colleen Lemoine, RN and NCONN Co-founder and Treasurer Sharon Francz, LPN, BS, ONN.
Ms. Lemoine gave a talk about the importance of health care professionals, especially nurses, taking time out for taking care of themselves. Colleen may be a permanent fixture on the NCONN conference agenda for her inspirational words of wisdom!
Sharon Francz shared her insight into how she has developed her own navigation program into a phenomenal success at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, MD. If you want advice on how to market yourself as a navigator, Sharon is your go-to expert.
 
The day concluded with a final session of interactive dialogue among the attendees. There were questions from the audience that were shared with the room and the answers were from the attendees. This was networking at its best from the best.
 
For those of you who were able to join us, we hope you found it worth your time. We hope to see many more of you next year. Planning for the 2010 conference will soon begin. Your input is welcome!
 
Thanks to the many grant sponsors, exhibitors, Meniscus Educational Institute for the CE management and especially to those who worked many hours on the "back" end to make the conference happen.
 
Thanks to those members who were there and thanks to all members for your support.
 

The NCONN Board of Directors

 

Please take a moment to review pictures from our event!

 

 

The First Annual NCONN conference is made possible by grants from the following supporters.

 

Comments from evaluation forms and email correspondence:
 
“I have been an RN for 35 years and have been to millions of conferences.  This is the first one that left me excited and energized at the end of the day.  Thank you!!”
-Beryl Anderson
Cancer Care Coordinator
Providence Cancer Center, Spokane  WA
 
“Bring back Colleen Lemoine again!  Very motivational!  This was a wonderful inaugural conference!”
-Anonymous
 
“The question and answer session was very helpful.”
-Anonymous
 
“It was timely, interesting, interactive and a lot of fun.  I expected a good conference, but it turned out to be a high quality, well organized event--especially for a fledgling organization doing their first national conference.  The speakers were good and I found the networking to be very valuable.”
-Chris Robbins, BSN, RN, OCN
Oncology Nurse Navigator
Thoracic Oncology Center, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME
 
“I think the conference was a phenomenal success.  Congratulations on putting the conference together with the board.  You all have so much to be proud of and I am proud to be part of the organization.” 
Kathleen Gamblin, RN, BSN,OCN
Oncology Nurse Navigator
STAT Cancer Clinic, WellStar Health System, Marietta GA