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 CPC and SAC, as well as ASCO State Affiliates, contribute funds to this philanthropic effort.
The YIA 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.
“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 CPC 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, YIA Recipient
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 YIA funded by the CPC and SAC.
James D. Murphy, MD
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.
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 Dr. Quynh-Thu X. Le (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.”
Be a Conqueror With CCF’s Simple Fundraising Platform
SINCE THE first YIA was given out in 1984, the CCF Grants and Awards program has supported the research of more than 1,000 cancer researchers, all thanks to the commitment of generous supporters.
The CPC and SAC have used the online #WeConquerCancer peer-to-peer fundraising platform to encourage donations for the YIA. 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, like a wedding or birthday, or an ambitious goal, like 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.
© 2017. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
