Declan Walsh, MD
Levine Cancer Institute (LCI) has announced a new Department of Supportive Oncology, helmed by palliative medicine pioneer Declan Walsh, MD. Under the leadership of Dr. Walsh, the new department will integrate its services throughout the Institute. The department includes cancer rehabilitation, cancer survivorship, integrative oncology, nutrition, palliative medicine, psycho-oncology, navigation, and senior oncology and will allow for collaboration on both clinical programs and translational research across disease sites and types.
The new Department of Supportive Oncology will deliver supportive services at 31 LCI practices across North and South Carolina, including its flagship location, the Center for Supportive Care and Survivorship, in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. Using shared medical appointments and secure virtual platforms, LCI aims to increase access to care throughout the region.
The department has implemented distress screening across the entire LCI network using tablet-based technology to facilitate early symptom identification. Subspecialty oncology services including physiatry, neuropsychology, cardio-oncology, and psychiatry are offered to address the unique needs of patients with cancer throughout their disease trajectory.
Accomplishments in Palliative Care
Dr. Walsh joins LCI from a previous post at Trinity and University Colleges in Dublin, Ireland, where he developed a palliative medicine academic research program. Prior to that, he served at the Cleveland Clinic in senior leadership positions. Dr. Walsh developed the first palliative care program in the United States in 1987.
Dr. Walsh has received the John Mendelsohn Award from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and was a visiting fellow at Oxford University, United Kingdom. He has served on the boards of professional organizations in the United States and Europe and was given a lifetime achievement award by the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer and a Visionary Award by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He is a Trustee of Marie Curie Cancer Care, a major UK cancer charity, and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care. ■
