Registered Nurse, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology at Mission Bay  

Here is what Angela May's nominator had to say about her:

“Angela May provides a positive environment where other fellow nurses can thrive. She has been a great mentor and is always willing to share her knowledge."   

Angela May’s Bio:  

I was born on Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines and although we were a military family, we lived outside of the base in a small subdivision of Angeles City, close to relatives. I had the privilege of learning what life was like both on and off the military base, and have wonderful childhood memories of our life on the Philippine Islands. In the summer of 1991, our lives were drastically changed after the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Pinatubo. I remember standing outside of the bus stop, waiting for regular bus driver to arrive, and instead our parents came to rush us out of the city. This major eruption sent ash and fragments of rock over 100,000 feet into the air. Clark Air Force Base and Subic Bay Naval Station were heavily damaged by ash from this eruption, the second largest volcanic eruption of the twentieth century. My family was flown into an air base in Guam for refuge and then eventually assigned to a base in California. We moved a few more times before settling in the Bay Area where my father eventually retired after 20 years of service. My father worked as both a military and civillian nurse and is one of the many reasons why I became a nurse.  

My journey into healthcare began in 2008 while working at the front desk of a small clinic. After passing my NCLEX exam, I began working as an LVN for Sutter Health. I worked as a float nurse in the primary care, general and vascular surgery, cardiology, and urgent care departments. In 2014, I began working in the Urologic Surgical Oncology clinic at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCC). I was immediately impressed by the care provided to oncology patients by all levels of staff and was inspired to further my nursing education. After a of couple years, I eventually completed my BSN program and began working as an RN. I was motivated to continue learning and kept the momentum going by continuing on to graduate school and obtaining my MSN degree from the University of San Francisco. One of my most cherished moments is when I walked across the stage at the commencement ceremony and caught a glimpse of my newborn baby in the audience with my husband. My pathway to nursing and motherhood was not linear and filled with many hardships and obstacles; it was in that moment that I knew that it had all been worth it.    

Since the completion of my graduate studies, I have continued working at UCSF as an RN. My career path has been filled with some of the most enlightening and encouraging experiences. I have had the honor of working in roles such as a Research Nurse, Infusion Nurse, Assistant Nurse Manager, Clinical Nurse Educator, and Oncology Nurse. I am currently working with the Genitourinary Medical Oncology team and am coordinating the care of our patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy for their advanced cancers. The knowledge I gained from working in surgical oncology has been instrumental in this transition to medical oncology and working with this patient population has been both a humbling and rewarding familiarity. I am grateful for the opportunity to have come full-circle and am excited about applying the knowledge, education, and experience that I have gained in my career towards making a difference in the lives of patients and staff at UCSF.  

What advice would you give yourself early on in your career? To a woman entering your field today?

“You belong. Your voice matters. Keep speaking up for yourself. You may not feel like you fit in, you might feel discouraged and lost sometimes but know that you are strong and you belong. Go ahead and have a seat at that table and hold your head up high.”  

What do you like to do outside of work?   

On the weekends I am usually spending time with my toddler, husband, and our 100-pound Goldendoodle.   

I also spend time outside of work volunteering for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I have been a Wish Granter for 4 years and dedicate some of my free time to interviewing Wish Kids and their families. I work closely with our corporate team to help make our Wish Kids’ dreams a reality.   

​​If you could go anywhere for a day, where would you go?  

I would go to Lanikai beach in Oahu with my pineapple beach towel, snorkeling gear, and Foodland poke in hand. 

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