Flynn Fellows Attend The 15th Annual Edith Richner Palliative Care Conference
Pictured: 2025 Flynn Fellows Grace Calabria, Stephanie Olivieri, Ella Day, Lilly Brown
The 15th Annual Edith Richner Palliative Care Conference hosted by Molloy University on May 30, 2025, focused on new developments in the expanding and dynamic field of Palliative Care. Several experts from medicine, nursing, pastoral care, child life and social work presented the latest advancements in the fields of symptom management, ethics and communications, staff self-care and bereavement. The main objective of this conference is for participants to enhance their ability to provide high-quality professional, competent, empathetic care to patients and their families. The program format included several lectures and a large number of ‘concurrent breakout sessions’ on a wide variety of topical subjects in this specialized field. The keynote speaker, Dr. Maria Carney, delivered a wonderful comprehensive presentation on the challenges and complexities of effectively addressing the aging and advanced illness of a large and growing segment of the country’s population.
Thanks to the Flynn Foundation’s valuable program partnership with Molloy University’s School of Nursing, including Dean Dr. Marcia Gardner and Mr. Louis Cino, Dean of Continuing Education & Professional Studies, several recent and current Flynn Fellows were able to attend this prestigious Conference in person and also virtually. Some of their “testimonials” are shown below:
“Attending this Conference enabled me to understand the role and value of Palliative Care teams and their importance in the healthcare setting on a deeper level. This subject is only briefly touched upon in nursing school. With my upcoming role as a Flynn Fellow in oncology, the information I learned at the conference, like how palliative care can help patients throughout their journey with this disease, will help me understand why a patient might choose palliative care and how important this function is to the care of oncology patients.”
Stephanie Olivieri, Molloy University; Flynn Fellow at New York Presbyterian
“I had an incredible time at this Palliative Care Conference. I appreciated listening to speakers on topics ranging from aging and advanced illness to sibling grief, compassionate caretaking, and ethics. The intersections of palliative care and oncology will be invaluable to my future career in oncology nursing and in providing person-centered care.”
Ella Day, Emory University; Flynn Fellow at Yale Smilow
“I found this conference to be extremely beneficial to the start of my journey in the oncology nursing profession. Hearing all the different perspectives on palliative care and the details that need to be considered was so inspiring. The lectures I attended contained powerful messages that I will take with me during my fellowship this summer and in my future as an oncology nurse.“
Grace Calabria, Sacred Heart University; Flynn Fellow at New York Presbyterian
“As I start my journey in oncology nursing, this conference on palliative care enabled me to learn more about patient autonomy and nurse advocacy. I gained insight into the inter-professional approach to patient care and look forward to implementing what I learned this summer as a Flynn Fellow.”
Lilly Brown, Villanova University; Flynn Fellow at St. Vincent’s Medical Center
