[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 77 (Thursday, May 22, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    A TRIBUTE TO LUANA LAMKIN, AN ANGEL FOR CANCER PATIENTS IN OHIO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DEBORAH PRYCE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2003

  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Luana 
Lamkin from Hilliard, Ohio, a former member of the Oncology Nursing 
Society's Board of Directors, and to celebrate May as the ninth annual 
Oncology Nursing Month. Oncology Nursing Month recognizes oncology 
nurses, educates the public about oncology nursing, provides an 
opportunity for special educational events for oncology nurses, and 
celebrates the accomplishments of oncology nurses.
  The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), the largest professional oncology 
group in the United States composed of more than 30,000 nurses and 
other health professionals, exists to promote excellence in oncology 
nursing and the provision of quality care to those individuals affected 
by cancer. As part of its mission, the Society honors and maintains 
nursing's historical and essential commitment to advocacy for the 
public good. ONS was founded in 1975, and held its first Annual 
Congress in 1976. Since the Society was established, 218 local chapters 
have been formed to provide a network for education and peer support at 
the community level.
  In my State of Ohio there are more than 1,226 oncology nurses and 
health professionals that care for individuals with cancer and their 
families. In addition, Ohio has 9 local Oncology Nursing Society 
chapters located in the areas of Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, 
Mansfield, Cuyahoga Falls, Lima, Zanesville, Whitehouse, and Dayton.
  Luana Lamkin has been helping cancer patients and their families for 
the last thirty years. Luana is currently the Administrator of Cancer 
Services at the Grant/ Riverside Methodist Hospitals in Columbus, Ohio. 
Luana has been active in the Oncology Nursing Society since 1976 and 
recently served as National Treasurer for the ONS' Board of Directors. 
She has received numerous awards for her work on behalf of individuals 
with cancer including the ``Excellence in Nursing Administration'' from 
the Oncology Nursing Society and the ``Lane Adams Award'' from the 
American Cancer Society for Outstanding Nursing Leadership.
  Luana has also worked with the National Dialogue on Cancer on nursing 
workforce issues. A number of studies and articles that Luana has 
written on the impact of the nursing shortage on cancer care have been 
published in distinguished publications such as the Oncology Nursing 
Forum, Cancer Nursing: Practices and Principles, Seminars in Oncology 
Nursing, and the Journal of Nursing Research. Since 1982, Luana has 
presented thirty papers to national and international audiences on a 
host of cancer care issues such as staff support systems, role 
development, community resources, patient and caregiver perspectives, 
strategic planning, issues and trends in cancer nursing, epidemiology, 
screening, detection, negotiating professional rewards and nursing 
shortage issues.
  Over the last ten years, the setting where treatment for cancer is 
provided has changed dramatically. An estimated 80 percent of all 
Americans receive cancer care in community settings including cancer 
centers, physicians' offices, and hospital outpatient departments. 
Treatment regimens are as complex, if not more so, than regimens given 
in the inpatient setting a few short years ago. Oncology nurses are on 
the front-lines of the provision of quality cancer care for individuals 
with cancer. Nurses are involved in the care of a cancer patient from 
the beginning through the end of treatment. Oncology nurses are the 
front-line providers of care by administering chemotherapy, managing 
patient therapies and side-effects, working with insurance companies to 
ensure that patients receive the appropriate treatment, provide 
counseling to patients and family members, in addition to many other 
daily acts on behalf of cancer patients.
  With an increasing number of people with cancer needing high quality 
health care coupled with an inadequate nursing workforce, our nation 
could quickly face a cancer care crises of serious proportion with 
limited access to quality cancer care, particularly in traditionally 
underserved areas. Without an adequate supply of nurses there will not 
be enough qualified oncology nurses to provide the quality cancer care 
to a growing population of people in need. I was proud to support the 
passage of the ``Nurse Reinvestment Act'' in the 107th Congress. This 
important piece of legislation, signed into law by President Bush, 
expanded and implemented programs at HRSA to address the multiple 
problems contributing to the nationwide nursing shortage, including the 
decline in nursing student enrollments, shortage of faculty, and 
dissatisfaction with nurse workplace environments.
  I commend Luana Lamkin and the Oncology Nursing Society for all of 
their hard work to prevent and reduce suffering from cancer and to 
improve the lives of those 1.3 million Americans who will be diagnosed 
with cancer in 2003. I wish Luana and the Oncology Nursing Society the 
best of luck in all of their endeavors.

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