Meet Emily
Emily Beard’s professional titles “nurse “and “program coordinator” at Northside Hospital Cancer Institute in Atlanta, GA, don’t tell the full story of her deeply personal connection to the experience of breast cancer. She is first and foremost “daughter,” “sister” and “friend” to many patients and fellow caregivers affected by this disease. Emily’s career in oncology nursing was born from lessons learned after her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis in 2005. After this experience, Emily was honored for the opportunity to pioneer the Breast Cancer Nurse Navigator role at a community hospital where she met with hundreds of women and families, most of them early in their diagnosis. Her interest in young women with cancer took another personal turn in 2013 when her step-sister was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer at age 36. With these experiences guiding her, Emily’s passion is recognizing and navigating patient needs along the cancer continuum from diagnosis through survivorship. She has been instrumental in developing initiatives for young women with cancer, specifically in the areas of hereditary cancer, fertility preservation, sexuality and intimacy, clinical trials, legal advocacy as well as continuing education for oncology nursing and patient navigation professionals. Emily embraces her role as clinical educator by writing for Oncology Nursing News, various social media channels and speaking at community events.
