Meet Our Providers

Judith L. Williamson, APN

Staff Education:
Judy graduated from Rockford Memorial Hospital School of Nursing as an RN and completed her BSN through Northern Illinois University. She has an MS in Nursing Administration through University of Illinois at Chicago and an MSN in Oncology through Rush University in Chicago along with a post-master’s certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner from University of Illinois at Chicago. Judy is board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse through the Oncology Nursing Society as well as a Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse through the Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing Society.
When did you join Illinois CancerCare?
November 2007
Family Information:
Judy was born in Peru, Illinois and is married with 2 sons. One son is an architect in Indianapolis with 3 children and the other son is a Sales Supervisor for an industrial firm in Rockford with a blended family of 7 children.
Hobbies / Interests:
“My hobbies include gardening, crafts, reading and muscle cars. I have a restored 1973 Dodge Charger and my husband has a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner.”
What medical change has impacted the field of cancer the most since you began practicing medicine?
“The supportive medications available now such as granulocyte colony stimulating factors and new antiemetics. The new treatments available such as monoclonal antibodies, targeted therapies, and evolving knowledge of genetics in predicting response to therapy as well as treating disease.”
Why did you choose your field?
“Actually, I fell into it quite by accident when returning to the hospital after working in the community and it was the only opening available and once there I just loved it.”
Do you have any advice to give patients after they have been diagnosed with cancer?
“Not really, I just appreciate what I have learned from them when you see their courage and you learn to appreciate each day, family and friends…”