ASCO’s Clinical Practice Committee (CPC) and State Affiliate Council (SAC) have a history of supporting the Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO (CCF) Young Investigator Award (YIA) program. Individual members of the Clinical Practice Committee and State Affiliate Council, as well as ASCO State Affiliates, contribute funds to this philanthropic effort.
The Young Investigator Award provides funding to promising investigators to encourage and promote quality research in clinical oncology. The purpose of this grant is to fund physicians during the transition from a fellowship program to a faculty appointment.
“ASCO’s State and Regional Affiliates recognize the critical role young investigators play in clinical research and have long supported their work through their generous donations to the Young Investigator Award,” said Terry Hamlin Cox, Director of ASCO State Initiatives.
Robin T. Zon, MD, FACP, FASCO
“The Clinical Practice Committee appreciates the importance of clinical research as the primary driver for advancing cancer care algorithms for all of our patients,” said Clinical Practice Committee member Robin T. Zon, MD, FACP, FASCO. “As our community providers have witnessed the acceleration of knowledge and treatment options, especially over the past 5 to 10 years, we believe ongoing research is needed.”
“Supporting CCF is an excellent opportunity to assure continued research and CancerLinQ™ initiatives, including the Young Investigator Award,” Dr. Zon said. “As a community oncologist advocating for our patients, it is critically important to support and develop our future researchers, especially during these challenging times of funding.”
Dr. Murphy’s Experience
James D. Murphy, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Medicine at the University of California San Diego, was the recipient of the 2012 Young Investigator Award funded by the Clinical Practice Committee and State Affiliate Council. Dr. Murphy’s award supported his research focusing on the delivery of palliative radiation therapy, an important treatment that can reduce pain and lengthen and improve the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer.
The research confirmed that there were substantial racial and age-based disparities in access to this treatment. “Ultimately, we hope that understanding these barriers will fuel further research aimed at improving access to care,” said Dr. Murphy.
This grant provided the foundation for avenues of research that I continue to pursue. Currently, we have multiple ongoing health outcomes research projects focusing on palliative care, which all stemmed from this Conquer Cancer Foundation grant.— James D. Murphy, MD
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Dr. Murphy and his team are already working on the next steps. “This grant provided the foundation for avenues of research that I continue to pursue,” he said. “Currently, we have multiple ongoing health outcomes research projects focusing on palliative care, which all stemmed from this Conquer Cancer Foundation grant.”
“The YIA and “mentorship from Quynh-Thu X. Le, MD, FACR, FASTRO, (also a former CCF grantee) were both absolutely instrumental in helping me in the early stages of my career,” said Dr. Murphy. “This funding has served as the foundation for my career as a physician-scientist. I feel very lucky in that my job involves seeing patients as a physician, doing research, and teaching the next generation of physicians and researchers. Many features of research appeal to me; though, at the end of the day, the most rewarding aspect is the ability to help patients.”
Since the first Young Investigator Award was given out in 1984, the Conquer Cancer Foundation Grants and Awards program has supported the research of more than 1,000 cancer researchers, all thanks to the commitment of generous supporters.
Be a Conqueror With CCF’s Simple Fundraising Platform
The Clinical Practice Committee and State Affiliate Council have used the online #WeConquerCancer peer-to-peer fundraising platform to encourage donations for the Young Investigator Award. By creating an online fundraising campaign page at weconquercancer.net, anyone can make a difference in raising awareness and providing support for vitally important cancer research and education. A campaign might:
- Honor a special person whose life has been touched by cancer
- Celebrate a special event, such as a wedding or birthday, or an ambitious goal, such as running a 5K race or participating in a cross-country bike ride
- Share a passion for conquering cancer with friends, coworkers, and loved ones.
Setting up a page is easy: just follow the step-by-step instructions at weconquercancer.net. Within a few minutes, your page is ready to share with friends and family and will help contribute to the goal of conquering cancer. ■
#WeConquerCancer
Join the Conquer Cancer Foundation community of supporters to start a personal fundraising campaign and help create a world free from the fear of cancer.
What will you do to help conquer cancer?
- Honor/remember a loved one
- Celebrate a special occasion
- Participate in an endurance event
Start your fundraising campaign today. It’s easy!
Step 1
Register and start your personal campaign to conquer cancer at www.weconquercancer.net
It only takes a few minutes to set up a customized personal fundraising page. Set your fundraising goal, enter your details, and pick a photo (or two!) or YouTube video.
Step 2
Spread the word
Once your page is set up, let everyone know about it. Share your personal page link on social media, e-mail—anywhere!
Step 3
See the impact!
You’ll see real-time updates on gifts made to your page and have access to send donors your own personal “thank you.”
© 2017. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
