Hermenigilda Luna is a registered nurse who graduated from MCC in 1994, and is now Director of Nursing Services at University of Arizona Cancer Center at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. Also a graduate of Grand Canyon University and a current Master’s degree student at Benedictine University, worked as an R.N. for Hospice of the Valley, and participated in research on ovarian cancer among Hispanic women.

She was selected to represent the Oncology Nursing Society of America at the SLAGO international conference in Chile in 2013. Her presentation in Spanish on radiation treatments for cancer patients was directed to Spanish speaking physicians and nurses.

Closer to home, Hilda Luna has been lauded for raising awareness of ovarian cancer among Hispanic women in Mesa.  She led a team from Banner MD Anderson in a collaboration with Mesa Public Schools family literacy programs.  The goal was to assess the knowledge of ovarian cancer among Hispanic mothers of MPS students. Culminating in an educational presentation, her advocacy with Mesa Public Schools on ovarian cancer prompted Well Woman checkups that resulted in one participant being diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, which allowed her to undergo successful early treatment.

Hilda Luna has been instrumental in planning health related presentations for Latino Town Hall. She is described as an innovator, risk taker, and outstanding nurse executive and leader who inspires her staff and colleagues to achieve the highest levels of performance.