Christy Muasher-Kerwin is an Assistant Professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at North Central College. Before transitioning into academia, she practiced for 12 years as a physical therapist in the hospital setting, primarily working with individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury, stroke, and brain cancer. Her interest in glioblastoma grew out of both her clinical work with patients and her personal experience as a caregiver for a loved one with brain cancer. These experiences shaped her mission to improve quality of life for individuals with glioblastoma and their caregivers. Christy is building a program of research at the intersection of caregiving, oncology, and digital innovation, with an emphasis on translating findings into resources that directly support families. Drawing on more than a decade of hospital-based practice, she brings a strong clinical perspective to both her teaching and research, ensuring her work remains closely connected to patient and caregiver needs.
In her down time, Christy enjoys seeing movies, cooking, baking, golfing, and spending time with her husband and children. They enjoy going up to the family lake house in the summer and going to Florida in the winter.
Selected Scholarship
Muasher-Kerwin C, Hughes MC, Foster ML, Econie S. (2025) “We are a club none of us wanted to join”: Exploring brain tumor online discussion forum content. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2025. Vol 33.
Muasher-Kerwin C, Hughes MC, Foster M, Al Azher I, Alhoori H. (2025) Exploring large language models for summarizing and interpreting an online brain tumor support forum. Digital Health.
Muasher-Kerwin C, Baumbach-Davy A, Liu Y, Hughes MC. (2025) "You sure feel like you’re alone, kind of flailing away out there”: Family caregiver perspectives of caring for an individual with GBM. Palliative & Supportive Care. Vol. 23.