Nancy Valko (Scannell), RN

Nancy Valko (Scannell), RN, a contributing editor for Voices and long-time advocate of patients with disabilities, writes the regular "Bioethics Watch" column for Voices. A Registered Nurse since 1969, she is president of Missouri Nurses for Life. She is a spokesman for the National Association of Pro-life Nurses, a board member of Missouri Right to Life, and past co-chair of the Saint Louis Archdiocesan Pro-Life Committee.

Currently working in intensive care, Mrs. Valko has served on several medical and nursing ethics committees and has given speeches and workshops around the country on medical ethics issues. She is also used as a consultant on ethical issues for individuals and groups, and has served on the board of the Saint Louis Down Syndrome Association and is active in the field of disability advocacy. She has worked as a volunteer for children with disabilities, people with severe brain injuries, and bereaved parents.

She has appeared on many radio and television shows on various medical, ethical, and pro-life topics; and she has written on this topic for The National Catholic Register, the National Right to Life News, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, First Things magazine and other publications.

"I have personally cared for many relatives with a variety of physical or mental disabilities, including my mother with Alzheimer's and terminal cancer and a daughter, Karen, who was born with Down Syndrome and a severe heart defect. Although both are now deceased, the influence of my mother and daughter has positively motivated my activities in medical ethics and working for greater support for people and families dealing with disabilities, chronic illness and terminal conditions", she writes.  

Nancy married Kevin Scannell in June, 2008 and they live in St. Louis, Mo. Together, they have 5 mostly wonderful children.

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Voices articles online

Bioethics Watch: Was Zack Dunlap’s Recovery a Miracle? -- Pentecost 2008

Bioethics Watch: Adventures in Pill Land -- Christmastide 2007

Bioethics Watch, Whatever Happened to Common Sense at the End of Life? "Withdrawal of treatment, “living wills”, terminal sedation, assisted suicide, organ donation, etc. Currently, it’s virtually impossible to escape all the death talk in the media and elsewhere...." -- Nancy Valko, RN -- Michaelmas 2007, Vol. XXII, No. 3

Bioethics Watch: Wordkill — Nancy Valko, RN -- Pentecost, 2007

Bioethics Watch: The War Against Children with Disabilities — Nancy Valko, RN -- Eastertide 2007, Vol XXII, No 1

Bioethics Watch: A Study in Contrasts: The Deaths of Pope John Paul II and Terri Schiavo — Nancy Valko, RN Michaelmas 2005

Bioethics Watch - Should We Be Dying to Donate? by Nancy Valko, RN Eastertide 2005

On the Pope's Statement on Feeding and the "Vegetative" State by Nancy Valko, RN Michaelmas 2004

"Non-heart beating organ donation" and the "vegetative state" -- by George Isajiw, M.D. and Nancy Valko, RN

Theory and Consequences -The Case against Premature Induction Deliveries of Babies with Anencephaly and Other "Anomalies Incompatible with Life -- by Nancy Valko, RN Pentecost Season 2004 -Vol. XIX: No. 2

Science and Vatican agree: Cognitively disabled can recover -- by Susan Brinkman -- This article first appeared in the Catholic Standard and Times May 20, 2004, Nancy Valko was interviewed for this article.

Bioethics Watch - Love, Health and Homosexuality - Although self-proclaimed experts in our society tend to characterize any concerns about homosexuality as homophobia and even hate, real love does not require approval of everything a person does but rather a commitment to the true well-being of that person.
by Nancy Valko, RN Eastertide 2004 Vol XIX, No. 1

Bioethics Watch - Update on Non-Heart-Beating Organ Donation -- by Nancy Valko, RN Christmastide 2003 - Epiphany 2004 Vol. XVIII, No. 4

Enforcing the "Right to Die" The Case of Terri Schiavo Michaelmas 2003 Vol. XVIII, No. 3

Are Pro-Life Healthcare Providers Becoming an Endangered Species? Pentecost 2003 Vol. XVIII, No. 2

Futility Policies and the Duty to Die Lent/Easter 2003 Vol. XVIII, No. 1

Protecting Abortion, Forbidding Grief Advent/Christmas 2002 Vol. XVII, No. 4

Ethical Implications of Non-Heart-Beating Organ Donation Michaelmas 2002 Vol. XVII, No. 3

Sedated to Death Pentecost 2002 Vol. XVII, No. 2

Katie's Story Lent/Easter 2002 Vol. XVII, No. 1

Hard Sell on Stem Cells Michaelmas 2001 Vol. XVI, No. 3

Of Living Wills and Butterfly Ballots Pentecost 2001 Vol. XVI, No. 2

Bioethics Watch: Euthanasia News Lent/Easter 2001 Vol. XVI, No. 1

What are we doing about "Sex Ed?" Lent/Easter 2001 Vol. XVI, No. 1

Steven Becker and the Fight for the Soul of Catholic Health Care Advent 2000 Vol. XV, No. 4

Can Steven Becker Be Neglected to Death? Fall 2000 Vol. XV, No. 3

Who Wants a "Defective" Baby? Summer 2000 Vol. XV, No. 2

Intentional Death in America -- Beyond the Hype Winter 2000 Vol. XV, No. 1

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