Local Nurse Honored for Work with Cancer Patients

When Karen Haughey was making her travel arrangements to fly to Atlanta, GA to receive the Lane Adams Quality of Life Award, she made sure would be able to get back in time for Friday night's Relay for Life event. 

It is this commitment to supporting cancer patients and caregivers that earned Haughey the award in the first place.

The Lane Adams Quality of Life Award recognizes individuals who have made a difference through innovation, leadership and consistent excellence in providing compassionate, skilled care and counsel to persons living with cancer and their families. The awards are being presented in a ceremony in Atlanta this evening. 

A clinical nurse at Alliance Hematology and Oncology in Westminster, Haughey said she was blown away when she was notified about the award.

"I had no clue that I was going to get this award. I was totally speechless when I got the call," Haughey said. 

According to a news release from the American Cancer Society, Haughey was nominated because of her commitment to providing support and care for cancer patients. The release reports that Haughey is known to spend hours on the telephone with struggling cancer patients or caregivers. She encourages her patients and their families to celebrate life and to surround themselves with others who have battled cancer for support.

"I don't think I deserve this award," Haughey said. "I don't think I do more than anyone else does. I'm just me and I do these things because it's who I am." 

Haughey has been working as a nurse for 24 years and has been working at the cancer center for nine years.  She said she is the lucky one for having the opportunity to work with cancer patients. 

"I just feel very lucky because I meet some of the most amazing people you'll ever know. I'm very blessed by the people in my life," she said. "People with cancer are special. I truly believe they change the lives of the people around them." 

Haughey said she enjoys going to work despite working with people who are sick. She said it's actually an uplifting place because of many of her patients' spirit and attitude. 

"Karen truly provides the 'warm hand of service' honored by the Lane Adams Quality of Life Award. She ensures that cancer patients and their loved ones have the emotional and physical support they need to fight cancer and become survivors," said Jen Burdette, community manager for the American Cancer Society. 

Haughey's commitment doesn't end with her job. She has been a volunteer with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life for at least seven years—she said she's lost track. Relay for Life is an overnight celebration of cancer survivorship and fundraiser for patient services and programs and cancer research.

The annual event, scheduled for May 13-14 at the Carroll County Agricultural Center, expects more than 1,000 area residents to attend. As the event's survivor recruitment chair, Haughey encouraged hundreds of cancer survivors to attend. Survivors are honored throughout the event with special laps around the track and different colored team shirts, among other things. 

Relay for Life is open to the public and it costs nothing to participate. For more information, visit relayforlife.org/westminster.