Susan Kruse Sullivan, CRNP, MSN, center, with members of the Sistahs Laying Down Hands Collective.
In recognition of National Cancer Survivor Month in June, Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH) partnered with Penn Medicine Community Relations to host a Breast Cancer Awareness Garden Pop-Up Event, comprised of spoken word poetry, live music, and stories to promote preventative health. Attended by staff, patients, and community members in the PAH Courtyard, the event had musical performances by the Sistahs Laying Down Hands Collective, who encouraged attendees to play instruments with them, provided by the local group. In addition, the event featured a booth to connect attendees to services at the Abramson Cancer Center, such as scheduling breast cancer screenings.
As a featured speaker for the event, Susan Kruse Sullivan, CRNP, MSN, nurse practitioner in Medical Oncology, described her passion for community outreach, particularly raising awareness about screenings among underrepresented groups in medicine. Through these efforts, she has been able to learn more about common obstacles to care, such as access and fear – patients feeling unsure how to navigate the health system or nervous to start treatment.
“The most important part of my development as a nurse practitioner is how much I learn from people in the community. I’ve been involved in events like this for the past 35 years, attending church events and health fairs,” said Sullivan. “It’s meaningful to help break through some of these barriers by providing resources and making people feel more comfortable to seek out care just by having a conversation with them outside of a clinical setting.”