SFI Adds Executive Director

In an effort to grow the outreach of the foundations, Shannon’s Fight, Inc. has added a Board of Directors in addition to the Executive Board.  The first addition to the group is Michele Hughes, who was recently named the Executive Director of SFI.

Michele earned her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University in 1997.  She is on schedule to complete a Certificate of Healthcare Compliance in 2015, also from Quinnipiac University. Michele’s clinical expertise includes, but is not limited to, people who have orthopedic, neurological, cardiac and pulmonary diagnoses. During her 18 years of clinical experience she has held managerial positions at Maimonides Medical Center and St. Mary’s Hospital for Children homecare division. Michele was presented with the peer-nominated ESPRIT award from the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.  Throughout her career she has treated many women post mastectomy, both in the hospital and at home.  She is a certified instructor for the Pink Ribbon Program, a post-mastectomy exercise program. Michele believes that her knowledge and expertise are now best utilized helping those who are about to undergo or are recovering from breast surgery return to independence.

After recently being diagnosed with breast cancer and having undergone double mastectomies herself, Michele realized that she had knowledge as an occupational therapist that most people with breast cancer wouldn’t have available to them. It became clear that there is a “gap” in the continuum of care for people who have had breast surgery or reconstruction.  There is a need for more education, and empowerment, throughout the journey.  She founded Pink Lotus Therapy to fill that gap.  Read more about PLT here.

Michele has been a supporter of SFI since its inception in 2011 and was a clear choice when the e-board began its search in mid-2016.