Colleen Turrisi, RN, MSN, AOCNP, CRNP

I have been an oncology nurse for more than 31 years. During this time, I have worked with a variety of patient populations with specialties including leukemia, bone marrow transplants, breast cancer, lymphoma and cancer of the head and neck.

Most of my nursing career has been focused within medical oncology at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). About 6 years ago, I branched out into the field of radiation oncology as the nurse manager of the radiation oncology department at HUP.

In 1994, I returned to graduate school to advance my nursing skills at the University of Pennsylvania as a clinical nurse specialist in oncology. More recently, I returned for a post-Master's as an Oncology Nurse Practitioner. I am thrilled to become the first Nurse Practitioner at Fox Chase in the Department of Radiation Oncology.

At this time, I work with patients who are undergoing or have completed treatment for prostate or breast cancer.

I became interested in the field of oncology since I felt a burning desire to help others who were stricken with a disease that was so devastating. I felt that I had a purpose in life to calm one's fears about their diagnoses as well as easing another's pain and suffering.

I have never tired of this mission, and am determined to fight the cancer battle with persistence, perseverance, patience and passion.