Psychosocial and Patient Experience Experts and Information for Media

Valerie Crabtree, PhD, St. Jude Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, serves as Psychosocial Services chief. Her research focuses on sleep disturbances in pediatric oncology patients. Crabtree can provide information associated with her clinical work, which addresses sleep complaints and psychological adaptation to cancer and treatment. She researches non-pharmacological management of narcolepsy and hypersomnia related to illness and how to help children adjust to chronic medical conditions. 

Janice English, RN, St. Jude Patient and Family Experience Office director, sets the standard for pediatric care delivery in a comfortable and supportive environment. She can provide information associated with efforts to enhance patient and family interactions with St. Jude from the moment of their first contact with the hospital until their last visit. Recently, she has also overseen the design and construction of Family Commons at St. Jude, a place of respite for families and their children between clinical appointments.

Kevin Krull, PhD, St. Jude Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences chair, is an expert in how pediatric cancer and therapeutic approaches affect the developing brain. Childhood cancer and the needed treatments can expose patients to undesirable effects on brain development and cognitive functioning. Krull’s research explores the mechanisms underlying the neurological and cognitive effects of cancer and its treatment; it evaluates various interventions to improve pediatric cancer survivors’ long-term quality of life.

Erica Sirrine, PhD, LCSW, St. Jude Department of Social Work director, focuses on loss and bereavement. She has extensive experience providing individual and group therapy to children, adolescents, adults and families experiencing illness and loss. Sirrine frequently presents grief and loss counseling workshops to mental health practitioners throughout the United States.