A Breast Cancer Nurse Who Walks Beside Her Patients

I am honored to nominate Lori Ranallo, MSN, RN, APRN-BC, CBCN, for the Outstanding Healer Award. I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Lori for 23 years. During that time, she has served as one of the foundational pillars of exceptional breast cancer care at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Her expertise, compassion and unwavering dedication have touched the lives of countless individuals at every stage of their cancer journey.

Lori plays an essential role across the full continuum of breast cancer care. From the moment of diagnosis, she provides clear communication, evidence-based guidance and steady reassurance. She supports patients through the preoperative period, throughout treatment and into survivorship, demonstrating both deep clinical knowledge and a genuine commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care. When patients experience disease progression to stage 4, Lori becomes a reliable and compassionate anchor, ensuring they receive coordinated care and the emotional support needed to navigate complex and often overwhelming decisions.

Lori's influence is especially profound in survivorship care. Survivorship programs are critical to long-term patient well-being. These programs help patients manage ongoing health concerns, quality-of-life issues and the lasting effects of treatment, including lymphedema, fatigue and emotional recovery. As a certified breast care nurse and a leader in lymphedema care, Lori ensures that survivors receive the highest level of comprehensive, individualized support. Her commitment to evidence-based practice is clear not only in her exceptional clinical work but also in her contributions to scientific research that informs best practices in survivorship and long-term patient outcomes. Lori has actively participated in clinical trials and research studies addressing symptom management, survivorship and quality-of-life outcomes. She is a published author on these studies, contributing original findings to the peer-reviewed literature. Her scholarship translates clinical observations into improved standards of care, highlighting her dedication to advancing both science and patient well-being.

Lori is also a dedicated mentor to new advanced practice nurses, providing guidance, support and knowledge sharing that helps shape the next generation of breast cancer care providers. Her mentorship reflects her belief in fostering professional growth and ensuring that patients continue to receive expert, compassionate care.

Lori's faith and family are the cornerstone of her life and the source of the compassion she brings to her work. She and her husband, Greg, have two children and six grandchildren, and her devotion to them mirrors the care and empathy she offers every patient. She is also a passionate Kansas City Chiefs fan, a fun and spirited part of her life that reflects her energy, loyalty and enthusiasm — qualities she brings into every interaction with patients and colleagues. This deep personal grounding in love, faith and community is clear in the way she connects with those she serves, offering not only clinical expertise but genuine warmth and understanding during some of the most challenging times in their lives.

Lori's blend of expertise, compassion and quiet strength makes her profoundly deserving of this honor. She does more than care for patients — she walks beside them. That is the mark of an extraordinary healer. Lori heals not only with her hands but with her heart, and it is with immense pride that I nominate her for the Outstanding Healer Award.

This nomination reflects the nominator's personal experience and perspective. CURE® does not endorse or evaluate individual nominees, and submissions are not influenced by any commercial or professional affiliation.

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