Pediatric Nursing Award Given to Outstanding Nurses at the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

The Aflac Cancer  and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta recently announced that Amy Lahey, R.N., B.S.N., C.P.H.O.N., and Whitney Lofton, R.N., B.S.N., have been presented with the prestigious Laura Snitzer Boozer Nursing Award.  The award honors nurses who have demonstrated professional excellence and leadership in pediatric cancer care and provides financial support for continued education in the field of oncology.

“I am so humbled to have been given this award,” said Amy Lahey, R.N., B.S.N., C.P.H.O.N. “Among an incredible staff of nurses, it is an honor to have been recognized.  I’m thankful to get to be a part of such a great team.”

The award is given in memory of Laura Snitzer Boozer, an Aflac Cancer Center nurse who died unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm in 1999. After Boozer’s death, many individuals including close friends of the family, donated funds to create the Laura Snitzer Boozer Nursing Fund for Continued Education. Lahey and Lofton will receive a scholarship to attend a nursing conference of their choice in honor of Laura Snitzer Boozer’s strong commitment to nursing education. 

"I am honored to receive the Laura Snitzer Boozer award,” said Whitney Lofton, R.N., B.S.N. “I feel humbled to be nominated by my fellow nurses, my guiding light, who have taught me the depths of heart, mind, and soul." 

Also, Stephanie Bernardo, R.N., B.S.N., C.P.H.O.N., and Alexandra Palmer, R.N., B.S.N., are honored with the 2012 Continuing Education Award. Bernardo, currently enrolled in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at Georgia State University, and Palmer, currently enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Georgia State University, are recognized for their dedication to the field of nursing. 

About the Award Winners:

Amy Lahey, R.N., B.S.N., C.P.H.O.N.

As a registered nurse, Lahey has provided care within the inpatient unit of the Aflac Cancer Center for over six years. Lahey received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Emory University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Furman. She currently resides in Clarkston, Ga. and enjoys traveling overseas for mission trips, particularly in Peru.

Whitney Lofton, R.N., B.S.N.

As a registered nurse, Lofton has provided care to the patients of the Aflac Cancer Center for over five years. Lofton received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kennesaw State University. She recently served on a medical mission trip to Africa, where she worked in a school and an orphanage. Lofton currently resides in Marietta, Ga. with her two dogs. 

Stephanie Bernardo (R.N., B.S.N., C.P.H.O.N.)

Stephanie Bernardo has served as a registered nurse for two years at the Aflac Cancer Center, providing care for hematology, oncology and BMT patients. Bernardo received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing along with a minor in Spanish from Georgetown University. She is currently enrolled in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at Georgia State University. Bernardo and her husband reside Norcross, Ga with their 3-year-old daughter.

Alexandra Palmer, R.N., B.S.N.

As a registered nurse, Palmer has provided over four years of care to patients in the inpatient unit of the Aflac Cancer Center. Palmer earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida and is currently enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Georgia State University. She resides in Atlanta, Ga. with her husband and their two dogs.