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 Foundation's Philanthropy Supports MGH Oncology Nursing Fellowship
Carol Ghiloni, RN, MSN, OCN, had been a standout oncology nurse at the MGH for 44 years – a recognized leader not only at the hospital, but also throughout her field – when she approached retirement in 2004. The former nurse manager for the MGH Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant Unit went on to use the occasion to make a lasting difference for oncology nursing, working with her colleagues to expand an existing fellowship at the hospital.
Recognizing Ghiloni's numerous contributions to the oncology nursing profession – as well as her dedication to raising funds for the fellowship, which included donating her retirement gift monies – MGH Nursing leadership made the decision to formally name the program the Carol A. Ghiloni Oncology Nursing Fellowship.
The fellowship's progress has been notably impacted by the generosity of the Hahnemann Hospital Foundation. After Hahnemann trustees Michael Hetherman and Domenic DiGiorgio met with Ghiloni and her colleagues, and reported back to the rest of the board, the trustees of the Hahnemann Foundation – which receives dozens of requests for funding from hospitals and hospital-related organizations each year – voted to fund the fellowship in 2007 and in 2008.
The Hahnemann Hospital Foundation's grant supports a 10-week paid and precepted clinical experience for two nursing students and one baccalaureate-faculty fellow. Faculty fellows share their expertise in oncology nursing technology, research and practice, building their own skill bases as they teach the next generation of nurses. Each student fellow develops a topic of interest to present at his or her school of nursing upon completion of the fellowship. Trustees from the Hahnemann Foundation have been invited to attend the presentation this fall.
"We were all very impressed by the degree of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm displayed by Carol Ghiloni and her fellow nurses at the MGH," relates Hetherman. "We were also impressed by how heartfelt each one of them was about what this fellowship can accomplish. Programs like the Ghiloni Oncology Nursing Fellowship really need the funding; we believe it's important to give essential financial assistance to nurses, to aid in furthering their educational and research projects."
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