Caring for children and families
Stephanie Massaro works in paediatric oncology and palliative care at Yale. She describes caring for children with leukaemia and lymphoma, alongside supporting children with serious illnesses across the hospital. Her palliative-care work includes quality of life, communication and families' goals for their child's care; end-of-life support is one part of that role.
From the laboratory towards clinical care
Massaro previously studied how some forms of infant leukaemia develop, using a human embryonic stem-cell model. She later shifted the balance of her work towards patients and families. She describes missing clinical care and making a choice about what fulfilled her, rather than being forced out of research because she could not succeed at it.
A teacher who supported exploration
A high-school science teacher helped encourage her curiosity. Massaro recalls that this teacher, who was a nun, remained supportive when her later stem-cell research crossed a boundary the teacher herself would not have chosen.
Seeing more possible careers
Although she had long been interested in medicine, Massaro kept considering different routes and specialties. She wishes she had encountered a wider range of scientific and healthcare careers earlier, including combined medical and research training. For younger listeners, she recommends talking to people and exploring opportunities both nearby and beyond their immediate surroundings.