MSK Clinical Nurse Margaret Bediones has been a part of the MSK Ralph Lauren Center in Harlem for more than 14 years. She decided to dedicate her life to nursing at the age of 12, after losing her father to cancer.
For MSK nurse Margaret Bediones, RN, taking care of people extends far beyond the walls of the MSK Ralph Lauren Center (RLC) in Harlem. She is committed to improving the health of people from underserved areas across New York City.
Born in the Philippines, Margaret’s journey to help others began with a promise she made to herself when she was just 12 years old. After her father passed away from cancer of the spleen, she vowed to dedicate her life to caring for others in any way she could.
“I couldn’t do anything to help my father, who was gone so quickly when I was young,” Margaret says. “That’s when I decided to become a nurse.” Her dedication to serving the underserved began when she was a nursing student.
“Part of our training focused on community outreach, where we would go to remote areas with limited — or even no — access to clinics. The nearest community hospital was miles away,” Margaret says. “So we set up a clinic in the town hall with one of our doctors and offered medical care to the community, which included checking vital signs and blood sugar levels, providing wound care at times, and giving the residents appropriate referrals. We also offered education on hygiene, nutrition, vaccinations, and dental care.”
When she joined the MSK Ralph Lauren Center 14 years ago, she was excited to join a team that was passionate not only about providing excellent patient care, but also about its outreach to connect with the surrounding community in Harlem.
“I love talking to people to educate them about the importance of cancer prevention and screening,” Margaret says. “It’s a rewarding feeling when I see the people that I talk to in the field come to the clinic. We have all these resources at MSK RLC, and I want people to know about the great medical care that’s in their own neighborhood.”