Thoughts of October may bring to mind autumn leaves, long sleeves and good Halloween scares, but it’s also National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In observation, our School of Nursing joins the Upper Cumberland Breast Cancer Coalition in hosting a presentation by the director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center’s Family Cancer Risk Service on campus next week.

Susan W. Caro, an advanced practice nurse in genetics, will give a talk at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, in Johnson Hall Room 401.

Caro has performed award-winning work for women’s health for more than 25 years and has been director of the Family Cancer Risk Service at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center since April 2000.

In that role, she focuses her attention fully on providing counsel to individuals and families about the hereditary risk of cancer, and part of that role includes educating communities and health care providers about hereditary cancers.

Also in 2000, she was the recipient of the Frances Williams Preston Award for Breast Cancer Awareness and the BMW Drive for the Cure Local Hero Award.
In her previous role as Vanderbilt Breast Center’s nurse practitioner, Caro provided counsel to women at increased risk for breast cancer, and she facilitated a breast cancer support group for 11 years.

With both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University, Caro has also been the recipient of an Alumni Award for Clinical Achievement in Nursing.

In addition to being a women’s health nurse practitioner, she was one of the first 13 people in October 2001 to be designated as an “advanced practice nurse in genetics” from the International Society of Nurses in Genetics.

For more information about Caro’s presentation, call the office of Dr. Harry L. Stuber at 372-1746.