07/18/2016

Congratulations to Lisa Muma, R.N.

Crain's Healthcare Hero!

Nurse navigator, Pediatric Oncology Followup Clinic, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak

Muma is nurse navigator in pediatric oncology at Beaumont Hospital's Pediatric Oncology Followup Clinic in Royal Oak. The clinic, which opened in 2008, is part of Beaumont Children's Hospital.

Lisa Muma, R.N., knew she wanted to help children when she became a nurse in 1979. After a stint in surgery, she met now-retired pediatric oncologist Charles Main, M.D., and became a pediatric oncology nurse in 1983.

Muma now is nurse navigator in pediatric oncology at Beaumont Hospital's Pediatric Oncology Followup Clinic in Royal Oak. The clinic, which opened in 2008, is part of Beaumont Children's Hospital.

"It is dedicated for childhood cancer survivors," Muma said. "We have a multidisciplinary clinic where we see children twice a month to follow them after treatment as a team" that includes doctors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, dietitians and psychologists.

"One of every 1,000 18-year-olds is a childhood cancer survivor," said Muma. "(Survivors) are increasing every year as results are improving."

A stark statistic is this: 43 children are diagnosed with cancer every day.

"Long-term followup is vitally important, as two-thirds of children have some problems after treatment," she said.

About 175 children are helped each year at the Beaumont followup clinic with two-hour visits, Muma said.

To help fund a college scholarship program for cancer survivors, Beaumont puts on an annual Stars Guitars fundraiser to fund the Charles Main Pediatric Cancer Survivor Scholarship Fund.

Last year, before Michigan native Glenn Frey of the Eagles died, his autograph along with bandmates' on a guitar raised $8,500, she said. Some 43 students are in college with the $2,000 annual grants, totaling 160 children who have received college support.

Muma also was instrumental in helping Beaumont redesign its shared governance nursing team. Through multidisciplinary nursing councils, staff nurse participation increased to 1,256 from 899.

"Nurses have more voice in decision making as they are on many more hospital committees," Muma said. "We have much more input now to hospital policies and decisions."

In 2012, Muma also participated in a medical mission to Mali in West Africa with the Ward Church in Northville. She helped care for 750 patients in three days.

"I cared mostly for the children. We cared for people who lived in villages and in mud huts. We did our clinic out of a school bulding with no running water or electricity," Muma said. "The children got water from the well for us. People hadn't seen doctors or nurses for years."

Muma also was selected for the 2016 Nightingale Staff Nurse Practice Award.