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Dr. Wilkie joins Rosalynn Carter Institute's expert panel
on Caregiving for Individuals with Cancer
The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Human Development, as part of the newly established Johnson & Johnson/Rosalynn Carter Institute Caregivers Program, recently gathered an advisory panel of national experts to address caregiving challenges.

Diana J. Wilkie, Professor at the University of Washington, was asked to join the "Caregiving for Individuals with Cancer" panel that convened at The Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta. Wilkie was one of thirteen experts representing Cancer caregiving issues--including dealing with emotional challenges, the economics of caregiving, and national and state caregiving initiatives--who shared insights.

Dr. Diana Wilkie has been a pain specialist since 1984. She earned her AD in nursing from the University of Hawaii, BSN from Mesa College in Colorado, and Master of Science and Ph.D. in nursing from the University of California at San Francisco. She co-developed and coordinated the first Cancer Pain Management Program in San Francisco. This program provided inpatient, outpatient, and home care to patients with severe cancer pain. She has published extensively about her pain and findings from her research program on pain. Currently she is conducting three randomized clinical trials testing the effects of massage and effects of computerized pain and symptom assessment tools on clinical outcomes. The long-term goal of her research is to help clinicians effectively combine pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for acute, chronic, and cancer pain management. She lectures extensively on pain assessment and management topics such as new information available for safe, effective use of analgesics and end-of-life care. She recently led a team of experts in the development of a CD-ROM to teach end-of-life concepts.

Additional panels are convening to address a range of other caregiving issues. A new caregiving book series will be developed by the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving following the panels.

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Human Development was formed in honor of Mrs. Carter in 1987 at Georgia Southwestern State University. Through research, education and training, the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving promotes the mental health and well-being of individuals, families and professional caregivers; encourages effective caregiving practices; builds public awareness of caregiving needs; and advances public and social policies that enhance caring communities.

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