News

Allyson Price, PA-C, Honored With The Mary Pazdur Award for Excellence in Advanced Practice in Oncology by APSHO

Published by Joanne Greco 2 years ago

The Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology (APSHO) presented the fourth annual Mary Pazdur Award for Excellence in Advanced Practice in Oncology to Allyson Price, PA-C, formerly of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Created in honor of the late Mary Pazdur, RN, MSN, the award is presented to an advanced practitioner and member of APSHO who consistently demonstrates exemplary leadership and outstanding contributions to clinical practice, research, and education in the oncology/hematology field.

Allyson Price, PA-C, is a physician assistant who worked in the Department of Leukemia at MD Anderson Cancer Center for 7 years. Ms. Price managed acute and chronic leukemia patients in the outpatient and inpatient clinics and served as a preceptor for PA students and PA/NP fellows.

“Ally has a unique ability to understand patient needs and visualize how we can improve their experiences,” said Madeleine Henriques, MPAS, PA-C, of MD Anderson Cancer Center. Along with a group of advanced practitioners, Ms. Price created the Leukemia Education APP Program (LEAP) in November 2018 to educate patients and caregivers about acute leukemias, potential side effects, clinic resources, and financial assistance.

Colleagues, physicians, former students, and patients and their caregivers describe Ms. Price as a constant source of joy, expertise, and compassion. Her dedication to pursue the latest therapies and comprehensive services to provide exceptional care for her patients stood out in many minds, inspiring everyone who worked with her.

“For us, good patient care meant it had to get personal…For two years, I watched Ally care for my husband’s whole being with a level of love and true professionalism. Really, she cared for both of us,” commented a caregiver.

Ms. Price is also driven in education and research, publishing clinical research projects, specifically on FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia, and helping develop educational programs on hematologic malignancies for the Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology. She is also an active member of APSHO committees, including the Education Committee and Communications Committee.

Gautam Borthakur, MD, of MD Anderson Cancer Center, talked about her commitment to training and mentoring new advanced practitioners as a supervisor. “She plans their rotations to maximize their experience, spends a lot of time with them, and in return asks for the same level of commitment from her trainees.”

The award ceremony was aired during JADPRO Live Virtual, an annual educational event during which the APSHO annual meeting takes place. It welcomes over 1,000 attendees annually, including oncology/hematology nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other advanced degree practitioners. Past recipients of the award include Jody Pelusi, PhD, FNP, AOCNP®, of HonorHealth Research Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona, Jeannine Brant, PhD, APRN, AOCN®, FAAN, of Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana, and Christina Cone, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, AOCNP®, of Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina.

To learn more about the Mary Pazdur Award, please visit marypazduraward.com.