Nancy's Story
Meet Nancy
Nancy Gardner, APRN, PhD Moffitt Nurse Practitioner
"When I leave work I leave with a very full heart, knowing that I've done something good for another human being."
Oncology Nurse Practitioner is Inspired by her Mother and Father
You could easily describe Nancy using the same sentiments she does to describe the Moffitt physicians she works with: “Besides being brilliant, they genuinely care.” Inspired by her mother, who was one of the country’s first nurse practitioners, Nancy knew what she wanted to do with her life by the time she was five years old. Later, losing her father to pancreatic cancer only fueled her desire to fight the heartbreaking disease. “I was working on my doctorate and I was very much interested in cutting-edge research,” she recalls.
Compassion and Cutting-Edge Cancer Research
She found Moffitt to be the perfect fit for her interest in innovation. But even greater than her passion for research is her passion for providing care – and not just medical care – but compassion for the patient as a person. She finds her utmost fulfillment in encouraging patients to find courage within themselves. And judging by the number of survivors who return to thank her, catch up with her, and share stories of how she’s touched their lives, it’s clear that she’s found her calling.