For more than 20 years, Melbourne nurse Susan D’Arcy, has dedicated her career to caring for patients undergoing bone marrow and stem cell transplants. Today, she is taking that passion even further as she completes the Master of Cancer and Haematology Nursing at the University of Sydney – thanks to support from the Arrow Sylvia Hartog Nursing Scholarship.

Two decades of transplant care

Susan’s nursing career began in the day cancer unit at The Alfred in Melbourne, where she spent two decades caring for patients post bone marrow transplant. But her role extended beyond patient care.

“I had the unique skill of being trained in stem cell collection,” she explains. “I rotated between caring for patients on the floor and running the machines that collect stem cells from donors.”

This dual experience gave Susan a rare understanding of both sides of the transplant journey – the patient preparing for the procedure and the donor supporting them to get there.

A new opportunity

After 20 years at the bedside, Susan was offered the chance to work full time as the Bone Marrow Transplant Coordinator, a behind the scenes role focused on transplant workups, scheduling, and ongoing patient management. A requirement of the role was for Susan to undertake post graduate studies.

Susan was keen to find a course that was specialised in haematology and matched the complexity of the work she is doing every day.

“The University of Sydney Masters program is the only one of its kind with a haematology specialty,” Susan explains. “Colleagues in transplant spoke highly of it, especially bone marrow transplant nurse practitioners who had done the course“.

The course however required four separate week long intensive blocks in Sydney each year – a challenge for Susan who lives in Melbourne with her three young children. Susan needed to consider flights, accommodation, childcare logistics, and the cost of the degree itself.

“I wasn’t sure how it would work financially,” she recalls. “I applied for the Arrow scholarship hoping it might bridge that gap – and it did. It made the whole thing possible. Without it I genuinely don’t think I could have taken this on”

Study that directly improves patient care

Now in her second year of the Master’s program, Susan describes the course as “so applicable” to her everyday work.

“Our last assignment was a portfolio on what we’ve learned and how it applies to our job. I could write it so easily because everything aligns so closely to what I do as a transplant coordinator.”

Susan is enjoying the course and is excelling in her results, receiving mostly distinctions across her subjects. Susan is very grateful for the course and the support she has received through the Sylvia Hartog Nursing Award.

“This scholarship removed the financial stress and allowed me to do something that directly improves the care that I give every day. I am so grateful for the support – and I highly recommend the course.”

Learn more here about Arrow’s post graduate scholarships.