The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) recently announced the recipients of 2022 awards for both internal and external champions advancing NCCN’s mission and helping all people with cancer to live better lives. The annual awards include the Rodger Winn Award for expert judgment and commitment to excellence in service of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®); the Partners in Cancer Care Award for people outside of NCCN member institutions who are instrumental in helping NCCN achieve its mission; and the Pat Daulerio Employee of the Year Award, honoring dedicated staff members who particularly exemplify the core values of NCCN.
Excellence in Guidelines
William J. Gradishar, MD, FASCO, FACP
The 2022 Rodger Winn Award—named for the medical oncologist who oversaw the development of the first generation of NCCN Guidelines—was bestowed on William J. Gradishar, MD, FASCO, FACP, the Betsy Bramsen Professor of Breast Oncology & Professor of Medicine; Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology; Director, Maggie Daley Center for Women’s Cancer Care; Deputy Director, Clinical Network, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University; and Chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Breast Cancer.
Excellence in Equity
Shonta Chambers, MSW
Robert Winn, MD
The 2022 Partners in Cancer Care Award honors the work of both Shonta Chambers, MSW, Executive Vice President, Health Equity Initiatives and Community Engagement, Patient Advocate Foundation, and Robert Winn, MD (no relation to Dr. Rodger Winn), Director and Lipman Chair in Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Massey Cancer Center; Senior Associate Dean for Cancer Innovation; and Professor of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, VCU School of Medicine. The two co-chaired the Elevating Cancer Equity Working Group, which was convened by NCCN, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the National Minority Quality Forum to identify actionable strategies for overcoming inequity in oncology.
Excellence in Collaboration
Hema Sundar, PhD
The 2022 Pat Daulerio Employee of the Year Award—named for NCCN’s first full-time employee and based on peer nomination—was given to Hema Sundar, PhD, NCCN’s Manager of Global Clinical Content. Dr. Sundar was honored for her dedication to the NCCN mission; her representation of NCCN’s core values; her willingness to provide help wherever it is needed; and the high level of integrity, quality, and care exemplified in her work. Her role includes facilitating the process and ensuring the accuracy of NCCN’s global resources, including NCCN Guidelines International Adaptations, NCCN Framework, and NCCN Harmonized Guidelines for resource-constrained settings. Additionally, Dr. Sundar serves as in-house scientist for NCCN Guidelines for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
