At BAMF Health, we’re privileged to collaborate with an extraordinary team of nurses whose expertise and empathy are at the heart of our mission. Their unwavering commitment to excellence not only elevates the patient experience but also cements our reputation as a leading Theranostics center of excellence.
As we celebrate Nurses Month this May 2024, we want to shine a light on our exceptional team. They include Nurse Navigators, who provide guidance and support to those navigating the complexities of standard care, and Research Nurses, who offer critical support to patients engaged in groundbreaking clinical trials.
We’ve invited each of our nurses to share their journey into the nursing profession and their motivations for joining BAMF Health. Their personal narratives underscore the passion and dedication inherent in their vital work.
Brandi
My journey to becoming a nurse was set for me at a very young age. When I was 8, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.
We lived in Reed City and had to travel to Grand Rapids every day for her radiation treatments (2 hr drive for a 15 min appointment) and she received her chemotherapy in the emergency room. It was not the comforting cancer center environment she deserved.
Watching her fight that battle paved my path to becoming an oncology nurse. I was honored to work with her medical oncologist who saved her life after graduation.
BAMF Health is providing hope and options for people with cancer and other diseases using Theranostics. I fully believe finding this opportunity to lead an amazing clinical team was a plan greater than I had for myself. Taking this opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to truly impact care for patients in our community and beyond.
I know firsthand how a cancer diagnosis changes your life forever, and I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to lead an amazing team providing hope for our patients on a daily basis.
Catherine
There are, and have been, many nurses in my family tree, including my mother in her younger years, so it was always a top career choice for me.
I worked in pharmaceutical research and regulation of clinical studies for a time but came back to work directly with patients.
I believe my experiences in life led me to develop great empathy for others which is an asset in the fields of nursing and oncology research. My current position as a research nurse is challenging but also very rewarding because we make a difference in the lives of patients, their families, close friends, and others.
BAMF Health is at the forefront of developing and providing cutting-edge imaging and treatments for many types of cancers. Having people in my own family affected by such diseases makes this both a professional and personal crusade for me.
Cathy
My mother was a nurse and I vividly remember growing up while she was in nursing school and seeing the impact she had on patients throughout her career, I always knew I would work in healthcare in some capacity. My first job was working in a nursing home kitchen. I also worked as a pharmacy technician and as a medical secretary, so I have always had an affinity for this profession.
I’m a “Chatty Cathy” and love making connections through therapeutic communication. It’s a privilege to put people at ease even during difficult times.
Before coming to BAMF Health, I worked in cardiovascular imaging at a large health system. I loved the multidisciplinary team but wanted something more exciting. My neighbor is Matt DeLong, BAMF’s VP of Radiopharmacy, and hearing him talk about the culture and mission of BAMF was very intriguing. I worked with nuclear medicine in my previous role performing stress tests, so when Matt showed me around BAMF, I was blown away! Aside from our Director of Clinical Operations, Brandi, I was BAMF’s first nurse.
Christina
Both my parents were teachers, and from a young age, I assumed I would be a teacher as well. As I grew, I learned I loved science, was drawn to reading books about cancer patients, and became passionate about caring for others. All of this, along with a high school teacher of mine suggesting I consider nursing school, really opened my eyes to the idea of a career in nursing. Plus, I get to do a lot of teaching as a nurse, so I have the bonus of being a teacher as well!
I will never forget when I first heard about BAMF Health. I was at a social gathering and connected with a fellow nurse. After sharing with her what I’m most passionate about as a nurse (the patients!) and what my ideal nursing job would be, she stopped me and said, “You need to work at BAMF. They are hiring someone to do exactly that.”
That night I went online, read about BAMF, could barely believe how clearly the job description fit with what I desired to do, and immediately applied for a nurse navigator position.
Flash forward and here I am, working with a passionate team focused on empowering patients, elevating our standard of care to a new level, and making amazing advances in medicine. I am grateful for this opportunity and am so thankful to be part of the BAMF team.
Clay
I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare. When it came time to explore my options, nursing seemed like the perfect fit. With so many diverse nursing career opportunities, I was confident I’d find the work exciting. One exciting opportunity was travel nursing. Being able to fulfill my passion for travel and working with people, at the same time, was something I enjoyed.
After working in inpatient oncology for multiple years, I was ready for a change. I sadly witnessed many patients with unsuccessful treatment outcomes, but I was still passionate about continuing my work with the oncology population.
I learned about the opportunities in clinical research and decided to pursue a career as a research nurse. I heard about BAMF Health and everything they were striving to accomplish, and it closely aligned with where I saw myself working. I knew BAMF Health would be the perfect place to grow in my career as a research nurse.
Since then, BAMF Health has brought numerous clinical trial opportunities to the Grand Rapids area. I feel that the work I am doing at BAMF Health is assisting in advancing current oncology treatment options. I am hopeful that the work we are doing will lead to improved outcomes for many patients in the future, and it’s exciting to be a part of the journey.
Colleen
My path to nursing is different than most. I have Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in criminal justice and desperately wanted to work for the FBI. Unfortunately, at that time in the early 2000’s the FBI was on a hiring freeze. I got a job at the United Way in Detroit while I attended the Forensic Investigation program at Wayne State University. Part of the program involved an internship with the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office shadowing death investigators. I thought to myself, “THIS is what I want to do!” I was told they only hire retired nurses and police officers for that position. At the same time, I was helping care for my mom who was in hospice. Nursing seemed like a perfect fit. Since then, I found my true love in oncology nursing. Cancer care became my focus, and I’ve never looked back.
Having worked in oncology for the majority of my nursing career, the opportunity to work for a company at the forefront of cancer diagnostics and treatments was huge. To be part of an organization providing state-of-the-art imaging and conducting first-in-human clinical trials is incredibly exciting. The best part, however, has been the ability to connect with patients who have a new sense of hope.
Dennis
I became a nurse because of a death in my family. My grandma passed away almost 16 years ago in May. She previously lived with my family for 17 years when I was growing up. Nearing the end of her life, I was very involved in her care, and I felt a passion I had never felt doing anything else. I knew right away nursing could be something I fell in love with, and I’ve never looked back.
It’s kind of funny how I joined BAMF. Friends in my golf league had mentioned the name BAMF Health and how I should check it out. I was on the website and noticed some familiar faces, reached out, and scheduled a tour. The rest is history! I couldn’t have been luckier to join an incredible team.
Ilhana
Growing up, my dream was actually to become a doctor, and that’s what my family thought I’d be too. My grandpa always called me “little miss doctor” and would take me to the toy store where I’d get dolls to perform “surgery” on.
This all changed when the same grandpa was diagnosed with lung cancer, and my entire world turned upside down. My grandparents lived with us at the time, so we were always going to doctor’s appointments with him and taking care of him at home. I realized quickly that the people who make the biggest difference are the nurses. They were the ones at the bedside helping take care of my grandpa, giving the family hope that was lost, and putting a smile on his face that we hadn’t seen in a long time. Knowing I had that caring and empathetic side to me as well, I could see myself in more of a nursing role rather than being a doctor, so I decided to look into it more and was quickly sold. Since making that decision, I’ve had so many wonderful opportunities, met amazing people along the way, and have been humbled in the best way possible. It was a field that I just happened to “fall into” but have never once regretted my decision.
After my grandpa passed away, I didn’t think I could work in oncology because the thought of caring for cancer patients made me sad. After years of this, I finally built up the courage to work in oncology as a care manager, and a lot of the patients I cared for were also being seen at BAMF. Hearing all the good stories about BAMF, what treatments they offer, and the “bold future” they were striving for, I really wanted to be part of that. And here we are today!
Jen
I became a nurse all those many years ago for practical purposes as well as humanitarian. I wanted to be in a profession that offered job security, that wouldn’t be static, and offered continuous personal growth and learning. Just as important, I wanted a career where I could enrich an environment and leave it in a better place than when I found it.
I sought employment at BAMF Health for the chance to be part of the advancement of medicine and the impact that will have on mankind. I was drawn to BAMF’s mission, the challenging environment, and the care the team delivers to each patient who crosses our path.
Kam
I was actually a social worker before I became a nurse. I made the switch because I loved the idea of combining the skills and passion of being a patient advocate as a social worker with my love of medicine. My dad is a veterinarian and I spent a lot of my childhood in his animal hospital watching him do surgeries, comforting pets and their human owners, and learning all about biology and medicine. Nursing brings all of this together and has been the perfect fit for me!
When I became a nurse, I quickly found that caring for oncology patients was where I belonged. At some point in my career, I knew I wanted to get into research that focused on oncology. I was passionate about research because I wanted to help improve treatment options that could lessen side effects and improve quality of life for my patients. I heard about the research happening at BAMF and was really excited about working for a company focused so strongly on putting patients first, setting high standards as a care team, and continuing advances in medicine. I am grateful to be a part of the BAMF team!
Lisa
Nursing is actually a second career for me. After I had my first child, I decided I wanted to work in healthcare, and got a job as a nursing technician. I realized I had found my passion and enrolled in nursing school! I love that there are so many career paths you can take as a nurse.
I came to BAMF Health because of my dad. He has pancreatic cancer, and his treatment journey has been an eye-opening experience. I love the work that BAMF is doing, and I am super excited to work with a team that is making such a huge difference in the lives of so many!
Morgan
I love people and I love human sciences! Helping is something I have always strived to do, and I like having an impact on making people’s days a little bit brighter.
I also really like being the bridge for people in complex healthcare discussions. I want to make sure patients have a complete understanding and can be educated advocates for themselves and/or loved ones in decision-making.
Before coming to BAMF Health, I was looking for something “different” and BAMF is definitely that! When I made this move, I wanted to ensure I found a position that challenged me so I could continue to learn and grow in this diverse field.
I feel inspired by what BAMF is doing for patients, and the patient experience is so much of our focus it’s just an incredible environment. If you mix that with experts from varying fields working toward a common goal of shaking things up in healthcare – that is absolutely where I want to be.
