VCU news

By Cynthia McMullen

Positive. Passionate. Happy. Enthusiastic. Ask anyone who knew her to describe Amy Whitaker Rudenko, and these will be among the first words you hear.

The VCU School of Pharmacy community – faculty, staff, students, residents, preceptors and alumni alike – were shocked and saddened to lose one of the school’s brightest lights when associate professor Amy Rudenko, 38, died May 25. She had been diagnosed with cancer just the week before.

In a May 22 note to faculty, Rudenko’s department head, Don Brophy, wrote, “Amy began chemotherapy today and will be undergoing a weekly regimen for some time. While this news would leave most people paralyzed with fear, Amy has decided to bring the fight to the disease and is in high spirits and is staying positive."

Four days later, he wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that I notify you that Dr. Amy Rudenko passed away yesterday. Like the rest of you, I was shocked to hear of her passing. Words cannot describe the sadness in my heart. … Please keep Amy, (her husband) Mike and their family in your thoughts and prayers.” 

The former Amy Whitaker had a heart for pharmacy early on. Following graduation from Mills Godwin High School in Richmond, she became a founding member and the first president of the pre-pharmacy club at James Madison University. In 1994, she returned to the Richmond area to begin her studies as a first-year student in the VCU School of Pharmacy’s Pharm.D. program.

“She was a conscientious student, and the faculty respected and liked her due to her genuine interest in every facet of the pharmacy curriculum and her positive personality traits,” recalled Tom Reinders, associate dean for admissions and student services. “She was a great student, a great professor and, above all, a great pharmacist. Most remarkable was her unwavering commitment to community pharmacy practice.”

After earning her doctor of pharmacy degree in 1998, she was accepted into the community pharmacy practice residency program. Professor Jean-Venable “Kelly” Goode, one of the residency program’s preceptors, believes the residency is what piqued her interest in academic pharmacy practice.

“She went to work at University of North Carolina,” Goode said, “but then we had an opening (in 2001) that allowed her the opportunity to come home again. She was able to share her passion by mentoring other residents. She was a huge team player and an excellent mentor.”

Rudenko’s positive attitude made her a joy to be around and to work with, added Goode. 

As news of her death became known, hundreds of students, alumni, former classmates and residents mourned their loss via Facebook: “I remember her as a student, and she went on to do great things for our profession.” “She was an amazing person with such excitement for life.” “She was such a good professor. Always happy and cheerful.” “Such a wonderful person who touched the lives of so many.” “She was awesome.”

Ryan Templeton, a third-year pharmacy student, is president of the Virginia Academy of Student Pharmacists, which Rudenko served for several years as faculty adviser. “Dr. Rudenko was passionate about helping students in VASP develop into professionals,” he said. “She was consistently reminding us that professionalism required a lot of a person, and she led by example every day. No matter what her schedule, she would take time to work with students and talk with them, offering advice when it was greatly needed.

“She reminded students that being a leader meant that we needed to reciprocate with the same qualities that she demonstrated for us: dedication, maturity and responsibility.”

Fourth-year student and former VASP president Keshia Ward viewed Rudenko not only as a mentor but as someone who provided motherly guidance. “I have never met a more independent, passionate and caring woman,” said Ward. “ A wonder woman in her own way, she could answer a phone call from her husband regarding dinner, type an email, talk to a student and work on grading papers at the same time. She truly had a love of teaching, was a major advocate for our profession and loved her family more than words can express.”

Just over a month ago, Rudenko was honored during Reunion Weekend with the school’s 2013 Distinguished Pharmacy Alumnus Award. A long list of accomplishments included her work as a clinical assistant professor at UNC-Chapel Hill; serving as a relief pharmacist at CVS; becoming a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist; assisting several Kmart pharmacies in developing patient care activities in the areas of diabetes care, health screenings and immunization services; and receiving the Virginia Pharmacists Association’s Pharmacists Mutual Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award in 2004.

In nominating her for the Distinguished Pharmacy Alumnus Award,  Victor Yanchick, dean of the School of Pharmacy, called Rudenko a force of positive energy for the profession of pharmacy. He congratulated her for having made an impact on a generation of pharmacists as a teacher, practitioner and leader. 

During her tenure at the school, he said, Rudenko had gained a reputation as an expert on medication therapy management in big-box settings. “Her research has impacted the effective use of OTCs in community pharmacy settings and has made significant strides in the documentation of medication therapy management outcomes.”

Rudenko, who received the School of Pharmacy’s Alumnus Service Award in 2008, began working with the MCV Alumni Association (MCVAA) soon after graduating. She was a trustee-at-large and past vice president of the alumni association’s Pharmacy Division. Barbara Payton, former MCVAA executive director, said, “I feel so honored to have worked so closely with Amy. … She was the type of volunteer who was always present at all of our activities. 

“Whether it was serving up eggs to family members during our commencement breakfasts or ordering lapel pins for graduating classes, Amy was not only the quintessential volunteer, she was also an amazingly positive role model for our pharmacy students.”

Writing to inform the board of trustees of Rudenko’s passing, MCVAA President Paula Saxby and Gordon McDougall, associate vice president for university alumni relations, said, “Amy was truly one of the most positive and committed volunteer leaders to ever serve the MCV Alumni Association board of trustees. Her kind and enthusiastic voice will be missed but never forgotten.”

Despite a jam-packed calendar and a willingness to volunteer whenever asked, Rudenko enjoyed a full life at home. She and Mykola “Mike” Rudenko Jr., who were married in 2009, would have celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary on June 12. Their first daughter, 2-year-old Olivia, was a regular and welcome addition at pharmacy functions, and 3-month-old Abigail was well on her way to catching up with big sister. Abigail was at the MCV Alumni House in April – in her dad’s arms – as her mom stood up, to much applause, to accept the Distinguished Pharmacy Alumnus Award.

Brophy, Rudenko’s department chairman, noted that losing a life force like Amy Rudenko should inspire everyone to reflect on what’s important and how we all need to live our lives to the fullest. “Amy was inspirational to me in that she never appeared to have a bad day,” he said. “She had such grace.

"She will be sorely missed by her family, friends, students and faculty colleagues.”

To see an album of recent photos, please click here. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151736267178793.1073741843.48968408792&type=1&l=68f55ebc30

Amy Whitaker Rudenko is survived by her husband, Mike Rudenko Jr., her children, Olivia Lynn and Abigail Iryna; her parents, Barry and Linda Whitaker of Manakin-Sabot, Va.; her brother Barry K. Whitaker, and his wife Lisa of Chesterfield, Va.; her maternal grandmother, Marjorie Wilson of Roanoke, Va.; her mother-in-law, Irene P. Rudenko; her sister-in-law, Lisa Holly; nieces Jane and Jordan; and nephew Cole. Visitation for family and friends will take place 4-6 p.m. May 31 at Bliley’s Funeral Home Central, 3801 Augusta Ave. in Richmond. A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. June 1 at Bliley’s.

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