Dr. Bernadine Cimprich Named Recipient of Dr. Harold Burdette Award by the Behavioral Cooperative Oncology Group
The award recognizes Dr. Cimprich’s innovative career and significant discoveries.
Dr. Bernadine Cimprich, an Associate Professor Emerita at the University of Michigan School of Nursing (UMSN), has dedicated her life’s work to improving the care of people diagnosed with cancer. She was one of the first to describe attentional fatigue in women with breast cancer and its detrimental effect on cognitive function. She also developed the Attentional Fatigue Index (AFI), a widely-used measure to assess cancer patients' perceptions of their own mental fatigue.
Dr. Cimprich’s work compliments the principles held by Dr. Harold Burdette, a well-known oncologist. He believed in the value of treating the whole patient, not just the disease. The award, named in his honor, was established by the Behavioral Cooperative Oncology Group (BCOG) to acknowledge a scientist who made significant contributions to behavioral oncology research and who represents the same ideals as Dr. Burdette. Dr. Cimprich said, “Dr. Burdette was always looking after the concerns of the patients and their families and their quality of life. To me, that has always been my life. My work is all about helping people to live, and if necessary, die comfortably when they’ve been diagnosed with a cancer. It’s integral to what I’ve done my entire career.”
Dr. Laurel Northouse, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing said, “Dr. Cimprich is being honored for her exceptional and sustained program of behavioral oncology research. Currently, she is conducting a landmark study that examines changes in breast cancer patients' cognitive function using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Information from this study will be used to develop interventions to help patients manage their fatigue and maintain their quality of life.”
For nearly 20 years, Dr. Cimprich’s clinical work has been primarily at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMCCC). She said, “There is a distinct contribution that each disciple brings. In outside clinics, I am somewhat wistful that I don’t see more proactive nursing in the way it could be. The opportunities are there.”
Dr. Cimprich is also grateful the UMSN supported her research goals. She said, “At a lot of schools, there’s a push towards more traditional research, areas where you’re building off of other research. But at UMSN, you’re allowed to pioneer areas of research because they permit the risk of going into undiscovered areas.”
