Dedication to Cancer Research Awareness

College of Nursing alumna, Maureen O'Higgins (CON BSN ‘77), has dedicated much of her career to the study and progression of cancer treatment. She has directly touched the lives of patients with breast, cervical and colorectal cancer in the Midwest by working to increase opportunities for the uninsured to receive cancer screening tests.

To honor her accomplishments, the College of Nursing would like to pay tribute to Maureen O'Higgins in May during National Cancer Research Awareness month which was established to recognize both the strides and struggles present in today's healthcare realm of cancer treatment.

To work toward progress in this area, O'Higgins received her bachelor's degree from the College of Nursing and later her master's degree from the University of Michigan in medical surgical nursing with an emphasis on cancer care. For 16 years she worked as a Nurse Manager of the Oncology Clinic at the MSU Clinical Center before taking a position at the American Red Cross, Great Lakes Region, to manage their bone marrow donor program.

In 2002, O'Higgins began work with the American Cancer Society (ACS). She oversaw their programs regarding breast, cervical and colorectal cancer in Michigan and Indiana. In this position, O'Higgins has worked with a variety of schools, programs and organizations to raise awareness for the need of cancer screening tests and provide opportunities for uninsured residents to receive screenings.

"The compelling work of the ACS includes community service such as providing rides to treatment for cancer patients, sponsoring support groups, professional and public education, support of screening programs, and more,” O'Higgins said. "Research is a high priority: ACS has a long history of funding researchers and of conducting their own cancer research as well. Evidence based medicine requires a strong foundation in data obtained by clinical trials and other research, and the ACS is at the forefront in supporting these efforts.”

Although O'Higgins retired from the ACS in 2007, she continues to volunteer her expertise to the organization and support their work for the advancement of cancer care.

"I'm proud of the small part I played during my time at ACS,” O'Higgins said. "As a volunteer, I'm available to make educational presentations to community and professional groups on cancer topics, to work on programs like Relay for Life, or whatever else they might need.”

Maureen O'Higgins credits her studies at MSU as the source of her strong knowledge base and clinical skill acquisition needed to begin her career.

"Equally important were my role models among the faculty who instilled in me the passion for nursing that I still feel. Some of my mentors are no longer there, but they are names I'll never forget and many have continued to be part of my nursing life as friends and colleagues,” she said.

O'Higgins has been active in the Greater Lansing Oncology Nursing Program (GLAONS), serving as president and now program chair for the last four years. She also works as a Clinical Editor for the Great Lakes Cancer Institute in which she edits clinical material regarding various cancers and "translates" it into lay language for patients. This work is part of an exciting collaboration with the ACS where they are creating educational DVDs for patient education that are individualized for each patient.

Through her work in cancer treatment, Maureen O'Higgins has made a significant impact on the health of cancer patients. Her belief that access to care is one of the most serious challenges in the fight against cancer has inspired her commitment to cancer awareness.

The College of Nursing is pleased to honor her work as well as the Spartan legacy of excellence of all our alumni, faculty and staff that have dedicated their lives to cancer research awareness.