Carrying Compassion Forward

As the first Duquesne University nursing student to be selected for the Susan D. Flynn Oncology Nursing Fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Abigail stepped into a role that would change her life and affirm exactly where she belongs in the world of nursing.

Her journey began with persistence and purpose. Inspired by a neighbor who worked at CHOP, Abigail first applied for an externship in pediatric care, only to be told she was too young. A year later, still determined to pursue oncology, she found the Flynn Foundation. “It was everything I could have wanted and more,” she said. “It was CHOP, pediatric oncology, it was a dream come true.” 

When she got the call that she had been selected as one of just seven chosen from more than 150 applicants, she cried tears of joy.

During her summer as a Flynn Fellow, Abigail worked alongside her preceptor, PJ, treating young patients with cancer in CHOP’s pediatric oncology unit. “It felt like we were two nurses in one,” she said. “I was in the thick of it, seeing firsthand what it’s like to care for these patients.” Days began at 7 a.m., filled with bedside care, learning from multidisciplinary teams, and Lunch and Learn sessions that introduced fellows to palliative care, fertility preservation, survivorship, and more. Her research project focused on photobiomodulation, which is a red-light therapy used to advance wound healing.

One patient named Chris left a permanent impact on her. He had traveled to CHOP to seek treatment for retinoblastoma (eye cancer) and passed away due to lack of timely care in his home country. “Caring for Chris was the best experience I’ve ever had,” Abigail said. 

“He reminded me why I want to be a nurse and not just to help, but to bring joy and comfort during the hardest moments.”

Abigail credits Duquesne’s School of Nursing with preparing her for the intensity of the experience. Thanks to early clinical rotations and a spring semester immersion in the ICU at Magee Women’s Hospital, she already knew what it felt like to care for critically ill patients. She had learned how to manage sudden changes and work overnight shifts. That foundation gave her the confidence to step fully into the world of oncology.

Fred Flynn, founder of the fellowship and husband of the late Susan Flynn, sees Abigail as a standout. “She embodies what this program is all about,” he said. “She brought passion, enthusiasm, and a heart for this work. Students like her are the reason the fellowship continues to grow.”

The foundation was created after Susan Flynn passed away from cancer, Fred created the fellowship to ensure future nurses would receive the hands-on training and personal mentoring that makes compassionate care possible. Since then, nearly 400 students have completed the program. Many, like Abigail, are hired by their host hospitals even before graduation.

Abigail will return to CHOP this July, this time as a full-time nurse on the pediatric oncology unit.

She carries forward what she learned, but who she became. And in every child, every family, and every quiet moment, she will carry compassion forward, too.

*A pseudonym was used in this story to respect patient privacy.