AAN Designates ONS Member Betty Ferrell as Living Legend
WASHINGTON, DC—August 31, 2021—Longtime ONS member Betty Ferrell (https://www.cityofhope.org/people/ferrell-betty), PhD, RN, CHPN, FAAN, FPCN, director and professor of nursing research and education at City of Hope, a cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, CA, will be recognized by the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) as a living legend at the Academy’s Living Legends Ceremony held during the Academy’s annual health policy conference on October 8, 2021. She is one of four nurse leaders being honored as a living legend this year.
“It is such an honor to receive this recognition from the American Academy of Nursing. As a nurse in oncology for my entire career, and with my focus on palliative care, I have been so fortunate to see so much progress in the care for patients and families,” Ferrell said. “I am grateful for my many oncology nursing colleagues who have been a part of my work.”
AAN represents more than 2,800 nursing leaders who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia. The four nurse leaders who will be designated as living legends, the highest honor that the Academy awards, have made an impact in policy and advanced the public’s health.
Ferrell has dedicated 44 years to researching pain management, quality of life, and palliative care, publishing more than 480 reports in peer-reviewed journals and texts. She has received more than $100 million in research funding from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Cambia Health Foundation, and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.
“Symptom management of cancer and its treatment defines the work of oncology nurses. Betty Ferrell’s contributions in palliative care and cancer survivorship are ingrained in the core of oncology nursing practice. Through her research and unique education strategies, Dr. Ferrell improved the quality of life for millions with cancer across the globe because of her influence on nurses,” ONS President Nancy Houlihan, MA, RN, AOCN®, said. “She has been a leader and mentor in holistic cancer care delivery across disciplines and is truly a legend to oncology nurses, guiding our commitment to the ongoing needs of patients with cancer.”
ONS is a professional association that represents 100,000 nurses and is the professional home to more than 35,000 members. ONS is committed to promoting excellence in oncology nursing and the transformation of cancer care. Since 1975, ONS has provided a professional community for oncology nurses, developed evidence-based education programs and treatment information, and advocated for patient care, all in an effort to improve quality of life and outcomes for patients with cancer and their families. Learn more at ons.org (http://www.ons.org/).