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Rebecca Lehto

  • Associate professor

About Me:

I am an Associate Professor in the College of Nursing at Michigan State University.  My clinical experiences as a nurse caring for patients with cancer, a period that can be emotionally distressing and cognitively challenging, led me to my research interests that are aimed towards evaluating integrative strategies such as meditation and immersive nature experiences to improve wellbeing and quality of life for patients and more recently, their caregivers.  Most recently our team developed an on-line nature-based healing meditation program to support caregivers who have lost their patient within the past month. 

Education:

Post-doctoral Fellowship, University of Michigan
PhD, University of Michigan
MS, University of Michigan
BSN, Oregon Health Sciences University 

Interest Areas:

Mental health and adaptation to cancer
Lung cancer
Palliative and end-of-life care
Integrative health modalities/mindfulness meditation 
Cancer caregivers

Publications:

Funding:

2024-2026 (PI)
Support for bereaved friend and family caregivers of cancer patients (R03 CA282943)

Funding: NIH-NCI $157,000

2018-2020 (Cco-I)
Burnout Prevention in Hospice and Palliative Care Workers
Funding: Hospice of Michigan/Michigan Health Endowment Fund(PI: Carrie Heeter) . $92,950.00

2015-2020 (Co-I)
Using SMART Design to Improve Symptom Management Strategies Among Cancer Patients (R01 CA193706)
Funding: NIH (PI: Gwen Wyatt). $3,166,704.00

2015-2016 (Co-I)
A cybermeditation toolkit for hospice and palliative caregivers
Funding: Sparrow/MSU Center for Innovation (PI: Carrie Heeter, CAS)   $44,866.00.

2014-2015 (PI)
Telehealth Mindfulness Therapy: Home-based Lung Cancer Symptom Management
Funding: Midwest Nursing Research Society $10,000.00

2012-2022 (PI)
2012 BCBSM Foundation McDevitt Excellence in Research Award
Funding: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation $10,000.00

Mentored Doctoral Student Research:

2024-2025 (Mentor)
Examining Relationships Between Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health Symptoms Among Palliative & End-of-life Family Caregivers in Rural Areas: A Mixed Methods Study

Funding: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation $3,000.00

2018-2020 (Co-I)
Examining the Interconnectedness of Pain & Spiritual Quality of Life Among Women with Advanced Breast Cancer.
Funding: American Nurses Foundation (PI Gwen Wyatt).  . $4,994.00

2014-2016 PI (sponsor)
Emotion Regulation in African American Women with Heart Failure (F31 NR014754) 
FundingNIH   $50,747.00

2012-2014 (Mentor)   
Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence Scholars Program
Funding: Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence $10,000.00

Honors & Awards:

  • 2025     Senior Career Award. Palliative End of Life Care RIIG. MNRS. March 29, 2025.
    2024     Distinguished Contribution to Oncology Literature Award Recipient; Oncology Nursing Society
    2024     Fellow, American Psycho-Social Oncology Society
    2019     Palliative Care End of Life Midcareer Investigator Award, Midwest Nursing Research Society
    2019     Graduate Teaching Excellence Award, Michigan State University College of Nursing
    2019     Marjorie Holmes Faculty Enrichment Award, Michigan State University College of Nursing
    2018     Fellow, American Academy of Nursing
    2015     Award of Tenure, Michigan State University
    2012     Billie Gamble Undergraduate Faculty Teaching Excellence/Enrichment Award, Michigan State University College of Nursing
    2012     McDevitt Excellence in Clinical Research Award, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
    2009     Mabel Burdette Junior Faculty Fellowship Award, Behavioral Cooperative Oncology Group; Mary Margaret Walther Cancer Institute
    2008     Visiting Scholar, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai Thailan
    2005     NINR Institutional Post-doctoral Fellowship, T32 NR0704, University of Michigan
    2006     Hildegaard E. Peplau American Nurses Foundation Scholar, American Nurses Foundation
    2002     Individual Predoctoral National Research Service Award, National Institute of Nursing Research
    1998     Institutional Predoctoral National Research Service Award, University of Michigan
    1997     Director's Commendation for Nursing Excellence Award, Ann Arbor VA Health Care System
    1997     R. Faye McCain Award for leadership/scholarship in medical-Surgical nursing, University of Michigan
    1996     Oncology Nursing Scholarship; Master's level student, University of Michigan