VCU Medical Center Staff Mourn the Loss of Friend and Colleague

Denise Thornby, director of education and professional development for the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, lost her courageous battle with cancer on July 31.  She was 58.

She is survived by her husband Bill of 37 years; her daughter Sarah and her husband Drew; her grandson Felix; her mother Iris Craven; her brother Joel Craven; and her sister Heather Craven, who retired as an RN from the VCU Medical Center after 23 years of service.  

Maria Curran, chief human resources officer, said “I am told that her passing at the Hospice of Charleston was just as she had hoped—dignified, pain free and peaceful—surrounded by her cherished family. Denise was a woman of deep faith—safe in knowing that her journey to heaven was now complete.”

Denise retired in April of 2011 from the VCU Medical Center following more than 35 years of dedicated service as a director, clinician and manager of the cardiac surgery and the surgical trauma intensive care units.   

“Her impact on our hospital is difficult to even begin to measure, as she not only served the medical center well, but was a national presence as the president of the American Association for Critical Care Nursing (AACN)—the world’s largest specialty association for nurses,” said Curran. “She influenced many aspects of AACN, such as the Healthy Work Environment initiative, creation of the Beacon award, that recognizes individual critical care units for excellence, development of the Certified Nurse Manager specialty certification, to name a few.”

In her presidential speech to the AACN, titled “Make Waves, The Courage to Influence Practice,” Denise called for action from her critical care colleagues—a message that still resonates and influences more than 10 years later.

“Every day, every moment, you make choices on how to act or respond," Thornby said. "Through these acts, you have the power to positively influence. As John Quincy Adams sagely said, ‘The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality.’ So, I ask you: What will be your act of courage? How will you influence your environment? What will be your legacy? Find your opportunities to influence our practice and to make the waves that will bring our shared vision to life.”