Dr. Ann C. Beckingham Award

My name is Benedicta Hartono. I am a nurse clinician working in cancer care at the Segal Cancer Centre in Montreal. I am entering my second year of the Master of Science in Nursing program at the Université de Montréal. My master’s research study focuses on understanding what young adult cancer survivors need to learn to be able to better manage their health and other aspects of their life after the end of active treatment.  

Inspired by my late grandfather, who was a surgical oncologist, I knew that I wanted a career in oncology. While I have always been interested in the science behind health care and medicine, it was ultimately my desire to work directly with patients and their families through challenging times and to empowering them to take control over their health and quality of life that drew me to oncology nursing. Through my clinical experience, I have learned that while cancer is not always curable, nurses can have a significant impact in making the cancer journey a little bit easier for patients and their families. As a result, I constantly reflect on how I can positively and directly impact patient outcomes and quality of care.  

Through my research, I hope to help remove barriers for young adult cancer survivors to access care and services that are better aligned with their values, preferences, and experiences.  I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to the Canadian Nurses Foundation and their donors for this award.