Alumni Service Award: Barbara Lane

For Barbara Lane, being a nurse and the executive director for the Berrien County Cancer Service has been more than “just a job.” She has devoted her career to focusing on the BCCS mission in caring for those in our community with cancer.

Wanting to expand her knowledge, and happening to love the caring aspect of nursing, a former grade school friend, Phyllis Sahlin, RN, recruited Barbara to Lake Michigan College and was her instructor. As a nursing student at LMC, she was introduced to BCCS through job shadowing. Barbara graduated in 1973 from the College’s second nursing class. She worked as a registered nurse at Mercy Hospital in Benton Harbor for two years on the medical surgical floor, including the Step Down Unit for cardiac surgery patients, before joining BCCS as staff nurse in 1974. Barbara became the BCCS executive director in June 1988.

Barbara’s hard work and compassion has resulted in numerous contributions that continue to benefit our community. One of her most memorable contributions is
Pennies for Patients, which was an idea that came from Barbara as a result of attending a cancer conference.

In addition, Barbara developed the Cancer Support Group in 1989, which is still ongoing. She also organized the BCCS Bike Ride to raise funds for cancer patient care in Berrien County.

Barbara Lane received an Alumni Service Award in 2012.