A School of Nursing professor who continues to practice what she teaches has been honored with a MacArthur Fellowship.

Sarah Kagan, associate professor of gerontological nursing and an advanced practice nurse at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, is one of 24 MacArthur Fellows for 2003. The so-called “genius award” comes with a five-year, $500,000 no-strings-attached grant to allow recipients maximum creative freedom.

Kagan has devoted her career to the care of older adults suffering from cancer. Her book “Older Adults Coping with Cancer” addresses preconceptions about the treatment of older patients with serious illnesses.

“I am mystified by the tremendous honor and the responsibility I believe comes with it,” Kagan said. “I hope it brings great visibility to nurses who dedicate their lives to working with older adults.”

Nursing School Dean Afaf Meleis said that Kagan “epitomizes the commitment of nurses who blend true scholarship with the highest humanitarian levels of nursing care to produce evidence-based practice.”