Our Team

The Pediatric Oncology Management Team

Stony Brook's Pediatric Oncology Management Team has been at the forefront of using a multidisciplinary approach to treat cancer. With the highest patient satisfaction scores at the institution, it has become a model for other departments.

At its heart, we believe pediatric cancer care needs to be comprehensive in nature, yet highly personalized for the patient and family. Following diagnostic testing, a multidisciplinary group of medical experts, which include pediatric oncologists, and pediatric specialists in surgery, radiation oncology, radiology and other disciplines, meet to discuss the patient and make recommendations. The team brings the family into the decision making process so they understand the treatment options and the reasons for the team's recommendations. Of utmost consideration is doing what is right for each individual child.

As the family and child go through treatment, one of the program's five nurse practitioners serves as a nurse navigator. The nurse navigator's role is to coordinate treatment, bring the family through the continuum of care seamlessly, and connect the patient and family with other Stony Brook services including social work, nutrition, child life services, clinical psychology/psychiatry, survivorship, bereavement, chaplaincy, physical therapy, or whatever the family needs at the moment.

Most important, they are advocates for the patient and family. Upon discharge, the nurse practitioner also participates in coordinating the transition to outpatient care and referral to resources in the community.

The Hematology Management Team

The care process for children with serious and chronic blood disorders is identical to that employed for children with cancer in that it is multidisciplinary, patient-centered and focused not just on cure (or control) of the disease, but also on maximizing the social and educational development of the child into adulthood. To this end, we work closely with schools and home care agencies to minimize any disruption treatment may have on school, sports and social activities.