From Cancer Survivor to Caregiver
Meet Haley Carroll
Being a new nurse comes with many challenges and gaining experience is a journey, but Haley Carroll’s first day on the job was far from her first day in a hospital.
Haley was diagnosed with lymphoma right before her senior year of high school, and she was declared cancer-free on December 2, 2015.
Inspired by the incredible care she received during her cancer treatments and during her time at Renown Children’s Hospital, Haley enrolled in nursing school at the University of Nevada, Reno. She graduated in December 2020, just five years after beating cancer.
“I’ve always been interested in nursing,” Haley says. “But once I was diagnosed and began to see everything that my nurses did for me, I knew that that’s what I wanted to do for patients, too.”
Determination in Action
Now a registered nurse, Haley works on the cancer unit at Renown Regional Medical Center, where she provides care to patients battling cancer. Just like her nurses cared for her.
“I’ve learned how much of an impact I can have on my patients,” she says. “I’ve been able to share my cancer survival story with some of my patients and my experience has helped me form an even stronger connection with them. I know what they’re going through – I know the pain – being able to understand them on a deeper level helps me be a better nurse.”