As of recent, the number of Ferris alumni joining a cancer treatment center in Grand Rapids has grown to support a new cancer diagnosis.
Class of 2009 graduate, Ferris State University Doctor of Pharmacy alumnus Matt DeLong has joined fellow alums at the recently established Bold Advanced Medical Future Health in Grand Rapids.
He came to join other Ferris alums to help care for, treat and support cancer. He’s currently the BAMF’s vice president of Radiopharmacy.
According to DeLong, he became a staff member of BAMF because of the opportunities to draw all his experiences throughout his career; but also to join a team alongside fellow alumni that are involved with the Ferris community and have career skills developed post-graduation.
“The BAMF Health team includes over a dozen Ferris and Kendall Alumni that spread across all of the teams,” DeLong said. “The team is engaged with the community and institutions like Ferris to support students to develop career skills that will allow them to excel post-graduation.”
DeLong also mentioned that the team embraces their purpose to make patients become people again. One of the ways some patients are treated is through radiopharmaceutical care/therapy. This involves treatment to the targeted delivery of radiation to tumor cells, or to the tumor microenvironment that consists of tumor growth and proliferation.
The radiopharmaceutical care, the advancement in technology and the power of the team are all reasons DeLong states that patients can receive the care they need.
“Enabling access and affordability of novel radiopharmaceutical care to all patients,” DeLong said. “We have combined technology alongside a talented team to empower them to focus on delivering the best possible care in an efficient and safe manner.”
Like DeLong joining BAMF Health due to his past career experiences, other alumni joined the team due to what they learned while attending the university.
For instance, Tina Brennan, a Nuclear Medicine Supervisor and Research Nuclear Medicine Technologist, graduated with both 2002 and 2004 classes. She gives all the credit to her background to Ferris for helping her find success at BAMF Health.
“While Theranostics may seem like a practice of the future, BAMF Health has established an advanced molecular imaging clinic and molecular therapy center that provides care to patients every day,” Brennan said. “I am proud of my background in Nuclear Medicine from Ferris State University because it laid the groundwork for my expertise in Molecular Imaging and provided me with the opportunity to thrive in the field of Theranostics.”
According to Sr. Project Manager Tyler Zimkowski, class of 2018 graduate, it was his exposure at BAMF Health that taught him how to deliver a good experience for all patients.
“The exposure that I have been given into behind-the-scenes, scheduling, data management, and case management with patients has taught me how to prioritize delivering a notable patient experience to all patients, every time,” Zimkowski said. “The fundamentals learned at Ferris State University set the tone for my continued growth and development.”
Over the past two and a half decades, the number of Ferris alumni has continued to grow. As of this year, the total number has now exceeded 15 alums. The most recent is class of 2023 graduate Fernando Anleu, who is a Nuclear Medicine Technologist.
Class of 2004 graduate, Brandi Miller, who’s the Director of Clinical Operations, commented on the impacts the alumni and the university have on BAMF Health to help them care for every patient.
“As I walk down the halls of our clinic, I am reminded of the impact that Ferris State University has on the West Michigan community, with more than a dozen talented Bulldogs dedicated to advancing BAMF’s Health mission,” Miller said.
Visit https://www.bamfhealth.com to learn more about the groups involvement in the research.