After graduating with my DPT from Northeastern University in Boston in 2013, I moved 640 miles away from home to follow my dreams of becoming an acute care pediatric physical therapist.

I started my professional career in the role of a “floater” PT, transitioning between inpatient and outpatient settings. It was a great way to learn the ins and outs of the PT world. One of my first assignments was to cover a three month leave in my medical center’s Cancer and Blood Disease Institute. I remember feeling a bit intimidated, because at the time, I knew very little about the role of physical therapy within the oncology and bone marrow transplant population.

Eight years later, I have built a career and found my true passion, working with pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant patients in the inpatient setting. I enjoy not only getting to collaborate with various members of the medical team, but getting to learn from them on a daily basis. I love channeling my creativity and thinking outside of the box to make therapy fun. There is truly nothing more fulfilling than a patient ringing “the bell” at their discharge parade to mark the completion of, undoubtedly, one of the most challenging times in their lives. I feel incredibly lucky that so many patients and their families allow me to be part of their journey and trust me to guide them through activities to improve their functional outcomes.

My love for this patient population led me to pursue and achieve my Board Certification in Oncology in 2020. Standing with my fellow specialists to be recognized for our accomplishments at CSM in San Antonio is truly one of my proudest moments!  Embracing the programming offered within the APTA Oncology section, such as peer mentorship and item writing, has provided me with further learning and educational opportunities, as well as the ability to make so many wonderful connections with clinicians all over the country. I am so grateful that my path has led me to the world of Oncology physical therapy and I cannot wait to see what the future holds!