Heather is a true DAISY Nurse, not only because of her fervent commitment to patients but also because she's a warrior in the pursuit of new treatments for patients with immune system disorders. Heather is a nurse leader who manages the Cotton O'Neil Clinical Research Center gastroenterology program. Over the past several years, she has grown the research program to one of significant scale and performance. She and her team manage more than 30 clinical trials (that is more than any research site in the area, including all health systems in Kansas City). With Heather's passionate and purposeful leadership, the team at the DHC connected more than 80 patients to clinical trials in the past 12 months, a record for her team and a performance measure that far exceeds the research industry average.
While she is helping advance medical science and bringing new treatments for Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and other conditions to market - behind each research enrollment is a patient and family who is experiencing excellent clinical oversight, considerable disease education, and an experience of respect, collaboration, and empowerment.
There are many examples of Heather working tirelessly and tenaciously to "make things happen" for patients. Most recently, the Digestive Health Center (DHC) had a patient with Crohn's disease who referred to them by an out-of-town gastroenterologist. However, unrelated to his care at the DHC, the patient ended up elsewhere on two occasions. The last event occurred in a health system that, upon his hospital discharge, made it clear that follow-up with them was not something in which they were interested. The patient was uninsured. It was Heather's continued contact with the patient and the relationship she had fostered with him that allowed them to reconnect and eventually enroll him in a clinical trial. The "constant" throughout this long and involved process was Heather, her dedicated oversight and her dogged concern about his outcome. Heather and the team share the patient's optimism that he will respond to the investigational biologic and that they will be able to partner with him on his journey to better health.
Another example of a profound patient success story that Heather created is going to be featured in an upcoming Stormont Vail Health "Picture This" campaign. A long history of Ulcerative Colitis and a lack of response to conventional treatments left a patient unable to travel, though he longed to do so, especially to visit his grandchildren in Florida. Heather worked diligently to find a trial match for the patient, and he was enrolled in a clinical trial evaluating an investigational biological agent. The patient has had an excellent response and is now traveling the country with his wife and spending time with his grandchildren. This patient expresses deep thanks to Heather for her commitment to the work she does for gastroenterology research and for patients who participate in clinical trials.
There are many stories such as these. Heather is a leader, a consummate professional, and lives by the Stormont Vail Health mission, vision, and values. Her talent is matched by her commitment to the field of nursing, to medical research, to our organization and to the people we serve.