Alumni Service Award: Barbara Lane
For Barbara Lane, being a nurse and the executive director for the BerrienCounty Cancer Service has been more than “just a job.” She has devoted her careerto focusing on the BCCS mission in caring for those in our community with cancer.
Wanting to expand her knowledge, and happening to love the caring aspect ofnursing, a former grade school friend, Phyllis Sahlin, RN, recruited Barbara to LakeMichigan College and was her instructor. As a nursing student at LMC, she wasintroduced to BCCS through job shadowing. Barbara graduated in 1973 from the College’s second nursing class. She worked as a registered nurse at Mercy Hospitalin Benton Harbor for two years on the medical surgical floor, including the StepDown Unit for cardiac surgery patients, before joining BCCS as staff nurse in 1974.Barbara became the BCCS executive director in June 1988.
Barbara’s hard work and compassion has resulted in numerous contributions thatcontinue to benefit our community. One of her most memorable contributions is
Pennies for Patients, which was an idea that came from Barbara as a result ofattending a cancer conference.
In addition, Barbara developed the Cancer Support Group in 1989, which is still ongoing.She also organized the BCCS Bike Ride to raise funds for cancer patient carein Berrien County.
Barbara Lane received an Alumni Service Award in 2012.
