On September 24, 2019, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) hosted its 23rd Annual Cancer Leadership Awards Reception. The event honored individuals who have been champions of cancer research and steadfast advocates for patients: Anna Barker, MA, PhD, Professor and Director, Transformative Healthcare Networks, Arizona State University, who was awarded this year’s Ellen V. Sigal Advocacy Leadership Award, recognizing her role in advancing cancer research throughout her career, including her time as Deputy Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI); and Scott Gottlieb, MD, Former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Steven Rosenberg, MD, PhD, Chief of Surgery, NCI, who were each honored for their own leadership in regulatory and scientific innovations, both receiving a Cancer Research Leadership Award. ■