Meet Our Bloggers

James M. Metz, MD
Blog: So I was Thinking…
James M. Metz, MD is an Assistant Professor in the department of radiation oncology at Penn Medicine. He has worked with OncoLink for over 15 years and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the site. In his clinical practice, Dr. Metz specializes in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies with radiation oncology. Dr. Metz has strong opinions about many topics in healthcare, which he frequently shares with his staff. We decided a blog would be a great outlet for his musings! We hope his views will open the door to discussions about these topics amongst our readers.

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Carolyn Vachani, RN, MSN, AOCN
Blog: Did You Know?
Carolyn Vachani is an oncology advanced practice nurse at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center. She has worked in the areas of medical hematology and oncology, bone marrow transplant, clinical research, radiation therapy and staff development. In her current role, she serves as the nurse educator for OncoLink. She serves as the project leader in the development and maintenance of the LIVESTRONG Care Plan and has a strong interest in oncology survivorship care. She enjoys discussing just about any cancer topic, as well as gardening cooking and, of course, her son.

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Christina Bach, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
Blog: Christina’s Resource Round-up!
Christina Bach, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, is a certified clinical oncology social worker at the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Presbyterian. Christina has been working with cancer patients for over 10 years and enjoys sharing her vast knowledge of resources with patients, families and other health care professionals. A self proclaimed “techie,” Christina enjoys blogging, social networking and searching for the obscure on the “google machine”…but doesn’t really get Twitter. Christina also teaches knitting and spends a great deal of time posting pictures and stories all over the internet about her three beagles, Gus, Maggie and Finn. Christina is also interested in bioethics, team communication and family conferencing, mediation and social work education. She also volunteers regularly with her therapy dogs at a local library helping kids with reading challenges.

Each week, Christina will blog about a resource available to the cancer community, as well as how to access the resource and important information needed for referrals. Christina is always interested in hearing about little known resources she can highlight on the blog, so feel free to post a comment.

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Alysa Cummings
Blog: Greetings from CancerLand and CancerLand Bookshelf
Alysa Cummings is a certified poetry therapist who focuses her energies full-time in support of cancer survivors using writing as a tool for healing. In the years since her own treatment ended, Alysa founded the support group Pink Ribbon Poetry and works closely with Oncolink as their Poet-in-Residence to publish book/media reviews, poetry projects, photographs and memoir pieces online. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation honored Alysa’s efforts with a Local Hero Award in 2004 as well as a Living the Vision Award in 2009. NAPT gave Alysa their 2008 Public Service Award. In 2007 SJ Magazine cited Alysa as one of the five South Jersey Pioneers in Breast Cancer.

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Donna-Lee Lista
Blog: Through the Looking Glass
Donna-Lee Lista is a 4 1/2 year Lung Cancer Survivor. Since her diagnosis, she has become an advocate and supporter of lung cancer research, both through private and government funding. She is the PA contact for The Lung Cancer Foundation of America, a fairly new grassroots organization, which works on securing private funding for lung cancer research. They have already given out 2 research grants totaling 125,000.00 in the short time the organization has been in existence.

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Karen Wagner, MS, RD
Blog: Nutrition Nuggets
Karen Wagner, MS, RD is a Clinical Dietitian Specialist for the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine. Prior to specializing in oncology, Karen worked with a wide variety of patients in both hospitals and clinics. She has particular expertise in conducting nutrition and cooking classes. Karen answers nutrition questions all day, which often lead to her blog topics- probably things you have also wondered about!

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Rodney Warner, Esq
Blog: Beating the Beast
Rodney Warner is a staff attorney at the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Inc., a non-profit law firm that provides free legal services to the physically disabled in Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania counties. Rodney is a cancer survivor and his position is funded by a grant from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The clinic’s website is www.legalclinicforthedisabled.org.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are those of the author or other attributed individual and do not necessarily represent the official opinion of the OncoLink Staff, University of Pennsylvania Health System (Penn Medicine), or the University of Pennsylvania, unless explicitly stated with the authority to do so.

Alysa Cummings
Blog: Greetings from CancerLand
Alysa Cummings is a certified poetry therapist who focuses her energies full-time in support of cancer survivors using writing as a tool for healing. In the years since her own treatment ended, Alysa founded the support group Pink Ribbon Poetry and works closely with Oncolink as their Poet-in-Residence to publish book/media reviews, poetry projects, photographs and memoir pieces online. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation honored Alysa’s efforts with a Local Hero Award in 2004 as well as a Living the Vision Award in 2009. NAPT gave Alysa their 2008 Public Service Award. In 2007 SJ Magazine cited Alysa as one of the five South Jersey Pioneers in Breast Cancer.

Carolyn Vachani, RN, MSN, AOCN
Blog: Did You Know?
Carolyn Vachani is an oncology advanced practice nurse at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center. She has worked in the areas of medical hematology and oncology, bone marrow transplant, clinical research, radiation therapy and staff development. In her current role, she serves as the nurse educator for OncoLink. She serves as the project leader in the development and maintenance of the LIVESTRONG Care Plan and has a strong interest in oncology survivorship care. She enjoys discussing just about any cancer topic, as well as gardening cooking and, of course, her son.

Rodney Warner, Esq
Blog: Legal Words of Wisdom
Rodney Warner is a staff attorney at the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Inc., a non-profit law firm that provides free legal services to the physically disabled in Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania counties. Rodney is a cancer survivor and his position is funded by a grant from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The clinic’s website is www.legalclinicforthedisabled.org.