10/03/2025
Hospital President Johnson Speaks of a Life Recently Changed by Cancer, and Accepts Outstanding Alumni Award from UVU Department of Nursing
Megan Johnson, president of Spanish Fork Hospital, was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award at the recent celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Utah Valley University Nursing Department.
Megan said that when she began her career with Intermountain Health she was simply looking for a stable job. “I began in EVS with environmental services, cleaning rooms, never imagining where the road would lead. But as I spent more time in nursing and health care, I discovered a deeper sense of purpose. I saw the difference that we can make in people's lives, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.”
That realization led Megan to UVU's nursing program, which she credits with giving her the tools to grow not just in clinical skills but in leadership and an ability to adapt.
“Over the past two decades, I've worn many hats, becoming a health unit coordinator, a PCT, an LPN, RN, educator, manager, chief nursing officer, and today the president of Intermountain Spanish Fork Hospital.”
For Megan, the core of nursing is about people—connecting with them, advocating for them, and leaving a lasting impact. She then shared with the audience her recent experience as a patient.
“In July I was diagnosed with breast cancer. And I underwent a double mastectomy four weeks ago. It changed my life and humbled me. Being on the other side of the healthcare system was eye-opening and deeply personal.”
“Through it all, I have never been more grateful for healthcare, for good people, my excellent education, for advancing technology, for the simple art of listening, for the peers and the friends that I have, and the mentors who have supported me every step of the way. But especially my husband and my two boys who have always supported me, no matter what crazy ideas that I come up with.”
Katie Bagley, the UVU Nursing Department Chair, presented the award and noted Megan as “a leader whose career exemplifies the very best of UVU Nursing.”
Megan graduated twice from the UVU Nursing Department, with an ADN in 2005 and a BSN in 2008, and from September sits on the UVU Alumni Board.
Megan hopes that sharing her cancer story will inspire others to get regular screenings, and show that while cancer changes life, it does not stop it.
Catching cancer early is essential to better outcomes.
To schedule your mammogram either:
• Call 801-906-2700.
• Schedule in the Intermountain Health MyChart app
• Visit https://intermountainhealthcare.org/services/imaging-radiology/mammography