Today marks the start of the 36th annual APHON (Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses) Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. The conference is designed for pediatric and adolescent and young adult (AYA) hematology/oncology nurses and allied healthcare professionals who wish to explore ways to enhance their practice. This year’s expanded hematology offerings aim to provide an in-depth knowledge base and understanding of the principles of caring for patients with hematologic disorders. Educational sessions that focus on research, clinical management, and psychological issues are designed to provide attendees with the knowledge and support to enable them to influence pediatric and AYA hematology/oncology nursing and allied healthcare.
On Friday, Oct 5th from 8-9am EST, Northwestern’s own, Barbara Lockart, MSN, RN, CPNP, CPON, will be presenting, “The Science and Hope of Fertility Preservation.” As the emerging field of oncofertility gains ground, we are thrilled to have a venue to discuss fertility preservation among healthcare providers that serve not only as clinicians, but often as advocates as well. It is imperative for parents and caretakers to understand that cancer treatment, including stem cell transplant, may put children and adolescents at risk for infertility. There is a growing awareness that maintaining fertility is important to families and that infertility is a concern for patients throughout the treatment continuum. Fertility preservation is a rapidly evolving field with lifelong implications for the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of patients. Barbara will examine the state of fertility preservation science, as well as guidelines for determining which patients are appropriate for intervention. She will also discuss the role of the nurse as advocate, educator, and researcher.
Overall, the conference seeks to teach the field about current trends and new information in pediatric and AYA hematology/oncology, as well as learning from shared experiences. It will be an exciting combination of speakers, posters, meetings, and preconference workshops and of course, the issues surrounding social media, technology, and therapeutic boundaries will be a hot topic for discussion. If you would like to attend this exciting conference, please visit the APHON Conference homepage for more information about registration, the agenda, and preconference workshops and education sessions being held.