Pediatric cancer patient to nurse … BW alumnus returns to his second home
For Cody Shearrow '19, many of the faces are familiar. So are the halls he walks daily as a registered nurse in the Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders unit of Akron Children's Hospital.
He was just 5 ½ years old when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. For 3 ½ years, the hospital was Shearrow's second home - a place where he and others celebrated holidays, birthdays, good days and bad days.
What he remembers most about his time as a patient there isn't the medicine, but the people who cared for him. Now, more than 20 years later, he cares for patients in that same center.
A Call to Nursing
"I decided I wanted to be a nurse about three-quarters of the way through my first degree," recalled Shearrow. "Working with kids has always been a calling. I think it takes a special group of people to be able to take the leap into pediatrics - especially hematology.
"BW's Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program was a no-brainer," noted the Alliance, Ohio, resident. "The faculty in BW's BSN program want you to succeed and will push you to a higher level to create phenomenal nurses. I would recommend this program to individuals looking to challenge themselves to be the best nurses they can be.
"Working
in
the
cancer
unit
drives
my
passion
and
makes
me
feel
proud
and
accomplished
to
be
able
to
relate
to
my
patients
in
a
very
unique
way,"
he
explained.
"If
the
situation
permits,
I
tell
my
patients
that
I
have
been
in
their
shoes
before.
Oftentimes,
I
think
it
helps
the
kids
trust
me
a
little
more,
as
well
as
the
parents."
Portions of this article were excerpted from a story written by Suzi Schenkenberger and published by Akron Children's Hospital in September 2020. Copy and photos are being used with permission by hospital personnel and by Cody Shearrow.