Merck Canada Nursing Scholarship

My name is Rachel Hamilton, and I am a PhD student at the University of Toronto, a pediatric oncology Registered Nurse at SickKids Hospital, and a survivor of childhood cancer. My research focuses on enhancing short and long-term quality of life and improving outcomes in children with cancer and their families through optimization of cancer therapy.  

As both a childhood cancer survivor, and a pediatric oncology Registered Nurse I know that the hospital can be a scary for a child, but it also holds the potential to be both a magical and special place for growing and healing. As I braved cancer therapy, I knew I wanted to help other kids with cancer when I grew up. Now, as a Registered Nurse, I work with families to provide evidence-based care and to help them to find light in dark times. Having been a patient myself, my unique empathetic perspective allows me to provide hope and relief through explaining procedures from my experiences, and showing my understanding of what the patient and family are going through. My clinical work has inspired me to continue on with my education to build a research career to continue improving the outcomes and supports for children with cancer and their families. I feel that this is my purpose in life, and I hope that I am able to continue to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer in big and small ways throughout my clinical and academic career.