Meet Andrea: Supporting patients and families with a SMILE
Andrea is a champion of the knock-knock joke. It’s her number one go-to when trying to get a smile or a laugh from the patients she works with at SickKids.“It’s important to engage kids on their level,” said Andrea. “There is one patient I work with that always comes prepared with a new knock-knock joke. Then it’s up to me to come up with one. Every time he visits, we have knock-knock joke challenges.”
As a Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator for the NAIT (New Agents & Innovative Therapies) team in Oncology, Andrea manages all patient care, including the enrollment of patients in clinical trials in oncology, educating parents and patients about clinical trials and organizing all tests and clinic visits. She is also the direct contact for parents to reach out to for questions or emergencies they may have while their child is receiving this therapy.
“Many of the patients and families I work with spend a lot of time at SickKids so I get to know them quite well,” Andrea said. “Having a critical illness is life-altering, and the fact that patients and families let me into their journey is really special and meaningful.”
It was a volunteer position with Camp Trillium during her time in nursing school that solidified not only her desire to work in paediatrics, but specifically in oncology.
“I’ve been at SickKids for nine years. Prior to my role in the NAIT team, I was part of the leukemia/lymphoma team in a similar role.”
Andrea’s dedication to her patients and families was recognized recently through the SMILE program, which provides the opportunity to acknowledge a SickKids staff member through a donation. When a staff member is honoured through the SMILE program, they receive a SMILE pin along with a thank you card containing the news that a donation has been made in their honour.
“It was so sweet and very flattering to receive,” Andrea said of her SMILE honour. “It is such a nice way to show recognition and say thank you.”
If a staff member at SickKids, like Andrea, has brought positivity, comfort or brightness to your day, consider saying thanks by honouring them with a SMILE.
A donation through the SMILE program helps support the most critical needs of the hospital as well as the Staff Continuing Professional Development Fund, which provides full and part-time staff at SickKids with the opportunity to advance their skills and increase their knowledge and expertise. SMILEs make a difference, so please consider giving one today.
It was a volunteer position with Camp Trillium during her time in nursing school that solidified not only her desire to work in paediatrics, but specifically in oncology.
“It is such a nice way to show recognition and say thank you.”
Andrea’s dedication to her patients and families was recognized recently through the SMILE program, which provides the opportunity to acknowledge a SickKids staff member through a donation. When a staff member is honoured through the SMILE program, they receive a SMILE pin along with a thank you card containing the news that a donation has been made in their honour.
“It was so sweet and very flattering to receive,” Andrea said of her SMILE honour. “It is such a nice way to show recognition and say thank you.”
If a staff member at SickKids, like Andrea, has brought positivity, comfort or brightness to your day, consider saying thanks by honouring them with a SMILE.
A donation through the SMILE program helps support the most critical needs of the hospital as well as the Staff Continuing Professional Development Fund, which provides full and part-time staff at SickKids with the opportunity to advance their skills and increase their knowledge and expertise. SMILEs make a difference, so please consider giving one today.
