Inspiring Hope

Winship Magazine: Why did you choose to go into oncology nursing and how long have you been in the field?

Cicely Leufroy: As a new grad, and also after moving to Georgia from California, my first job was working on a Medical-Surgical/Oncology floor. All throughout nursing school I thought I would be a pediatric nurse, but my first job was at Grady on an oncology floor, and I never looked back. I fell in love with oncology and the complexity of the patients. I have been in the field of oncology for 15 years, and I could not see myself doing anything else.

WM: Why did you choose to work at Winship?

CL: I have worked for a few hospitals here in the state of Georgia. I have heard so many good things about Emory throughout the years. There was a time when I had a mental burnout after losing a lot of my patients, and I needed to take a step back from chemotherapy infusion. But I could not see myself working in any other specialty. I chose to start my career here at Emory at the Emory Proton Therapy Center. Being there kept me within the field that I so dearly love, it gave me the break I needed from chair-side infusion and also taught me a few things about radiation oncology. While at the Proton Center, I noticed I gravitated more toward the patients receiving chemo/radiation concurrently, which after a while had me missing infusion, so I decided to come on back home. Since I was already within the Emory Healthcare system, I decided to transfer to Emory University Hospital Midtown as a chemo infusion nurse.

WM:What gives you the most satisfaction in your work? What is the hardest part of your job?

CL: I love seeing the difference I can make in a patient’s day while they are getting treatment. I am a huge patient advocate, and I love to educate my patients and family members while watching them throughout their journey. The hardest part of my job is watching a patient rapidly decline and eventually pass away. I have gotten very close to some of my patients. I have met their family, their children and some grandchildren. I have visited some in the hospital and have had to attend some funerals. I see them when they first walk through the door scared, crying and not knowing what to expect. I hold their hand during treatment and wipe tears when they get bad news. I have seen it all. It is hard, but it is what I love because once a patient meets me, I make sure I leave a lasting impression on them that they will carry with them in the afterlife!

WM: What would you like readers to know about Winship’s oncology nurses?

CL: Winship oncology nurses are top tier! We all go above and beyond for our patients and their families. If one of my family members was diagnosed with cancer, I would recommend they come to Winship. I know they will receive the best care here!