Press release from Jefferson Health
Kathleen Solari, RN, BSN, OCN, radiation oncology nurse manager at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center — Washington Township, has been selected as the 2019 recipient of the Excellence in Radiation Therapy Nursing Award presented by the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS).
The award will be presented to Solari, a 27-year associate of Jefferson Health — New Jersey (formerly Kennedy Health), at the ONS 44th Annual Congress, set for April 11–14, in Anaheim, CA. The Excellence in Radiation Therapy Nursing Award is granted to an ONS member who has been nominated by a fellow member and who meets specific professional criteria.
“Sharing my knowledge and building trusting relationships with my patients, their families and my colleagues is how I have always practiced nursing, so it is amazing to be honored for something that comes naturally to me,” Solari said, adding that the award adds “strength to the reputation of our cancer program.”
“I am truly honored and humbled to be selected for this award, and proud to be part of our cancer center team,” Solari said.
Solari, herself a two-time cancer survivor, finds her work extraordinarily rewarding. She is known for inspiring her patients on a daily basis — as well as being inspired by them.
“I think I give them hope. There’s a true connection there, having been through cancer treatment myself,” Solari said. “The patients and our great cancer team make every day on the job highly gratifying for me.”
A resident of Williamstown, NJ, Solari began her career at what was then Kennedy Health in 1984, as a nurse’s aide. After becoming an RN, she worked as an ICU staff and charge nurse, then spent 10 years in surgical services before transferring to radiation oncology — a decision influenced by her own experience as a cancer patient, and the belief she could make a difference in the lives of others battling the disease.
A graduate of Immaculata University in Pennsylvania, where she earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing, she is a member of the safety & quality team at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center — Washington Township, and is known as both an educator and advocate for her patients.
“Kathy is a true success story on many levels: as a professional, as a wife, mother and grandmother,” said Jefferson — NJ President Joseph W. Devine. “She is a true role model for our patients, other nurses, as well as clinical professional throughout our health system; her dedication and commitment to excellence is unfailing.”
