Love in the Time of COVID

Cathy Chavez, a native New Mexican, was born and educated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After graduating from Valley High School, she attended the University of New Mexico and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. In 1980, she began her nursing career at the University of New Mexico Children's Hospital. She worked on the pediatric ward until 1983 and then took a job as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse at UNM from 1983 until 2017. Her roles included: Oncology Nurse Specialist, Nurse Manager, and Research Nurse. Her experiences in nursing include administering chemotherapy to children, hospice work with children and their families, teaching treatment plans, discharge plans and protocols to families, and various other responsibilities. She has co-authored many publications in journals on Pediatric Oncology subjects. She received her National CPON certification and maintained that throughout her nursing career. She was a member of the NCI funded research group, COG. Cathy attended Camp Enchantment every summer as the Camp RN from 1986-2016. She also co-directed Sibling Camp Superstars. Ms. Chavez has drawn on her thirty-seven years of experience in working with young people with cancer and their families to produce an insider's look at the dynamics of families dealing with such critical quality-of-life issues. She is married and has two married daughters and four grandchildren. In her spare time, she attends yoga classes and creates silver and gold jewelry pieces.