ONS Leader Recognized as 2021 Congressional Woman of the Year
ONS Director-at-Large Anne Ireland, MSN, RN, AOCN®, CENP, and executive director of City of Hope’s Clinical Network and Outreach Nursing Department in Duarte, CA, was among the 12 San Gabriel Valley, CA, women on the frontlines of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic to whom U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) dedicated (https://oncologynursingsociety1.zendesk.com/attachments/token/bneFeQ3sVWo5MXXejsgaHBNWX/?name=Congressional%20Women%20of%20the%20Year%20Awards%20Ceremony.mp4) the 2021 Congressional Woman of the Year award (https://chu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-chu-recognizes-2021-congressional-women-year-hometown-hero-edition). The recipients were nominated for their extraordinary community service and leadership during the pandemic.
City of Hope’s focus of care is patients with cancer, and because of their increased risks for COVID-19 infection and complications, Ireland knew the team needed to create an effective way to protect them. She developed and implemented a drive-through COVID-19 testing and vaccination operation to reduce patients’ exposure to the coronavirus.
“Amid all the struggle of this past year, each one of our honorees has risen to the occasion and made incredible impacts in the San Gabriel Valley. At a time when we needed heroes most, they stepped up and gave all of us hope. Today’s honorees have done remarkable things during this pandemic, whether it was feeding our youth, providing groceries to our families, or saving the lives of patients. They fought through the challenges and found ways to make a difference. I’m so proud of these role models and am honored to be recognizing them,” Representative Chu said (https://chu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-chu-recognizes-2021-congressional-women-year-hometown-hero-edition).
ONS members provide innovative resources to help patients with cancer with the additional risks going beyond their cancer diagnosis. Not only do they provide high-quality cancer care, but they adapt their care to outside factors that can affect their patients, such as the pandemic. Members can learn how to become a leader in guiding and implementing oncology nursing care through ONS resources like the Leadership Learning Library (https://www.ons.org/learning-libraries/nursing-leadership).