Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Tune in for the WEEI Sports Radio Network/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon presented by Arbella Insurance Group, live from Fenway Park on August 13 & 14. Learn how your support continues to make an impact as Dana-Farber patients, doctors, and friends join us to share their stories! To donate, visit Dana-farber.gives/KCANCER. #KCANCER

As the premier professional gathering in clinical cancer research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting offers one of the largest platforms for cancer researchers to share their work with one another and the world. At the meeting in Chicago earlier this spring, our investigators took full advantage of that opportunity. Institute researchers presented more than 80 studies on topics ranging from advances in breast cancer, glioblastoma, and central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma, to discrimination toward patients and members of the oncology workforce, to the environmental benefits of telehealth. Some highlights:  A series of studies by four teams of investigators suggests that people experience discrimination and bias in different ways and in more realms of cancer care than previously understood. A study presented by Shail Maingi, MD, found that while 84% of physicians surveyed felt comfortable treating LGBTQ+ patients, only 24% of patients felt comfortable disclosing their LGBTQ+ status. A scant 4% of patients felt their care team treated their partner with respect. And at least 30% of physicians reported being unsure how LGBTQ+ status affected treatment considerations or how to discuss LGBTQ+ status with their patients. A trio of studies presented by Narjust Florez M.D., MD, and Toni Choueiri, MD, focused on oncology professionals who are international medical graduates – who attended medical school outside the U.S. or Canada but completed residency and fellowships and are now practicing in the U.S. A survey of international or Puerto Rican medical graduates revealed that over half experienced racial or ethnic discrimination during training and independent practice, Florez reported. A study led by Choueiri found that international graduates who are practicing oncologists in the U.S. were less likely to be invited as faculty presenters at ASCO than their American medical graduate counterparts, even with they produce the same amount of original research. A study led by Rachel Freedman, MD, MPH, and Olga Kantor, MD, MS, found that social determinants of health and not race were associated with a lack of engagement with and trust of health care systems. A study led by Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, and Kimia Sorouri, MD, MPH, held encouraging news for young women who have survived breast cancer and want to have children. The study, which tracked nearly 200 young women treated for breast cancer, found that the majority of those who tried to conceive during a median of 11 years after treatment were able to become pregnant and give birth to a child. More on disparities: https://lnkd.in/eDzcNPMD More on studies presented at ASCO: https://lnkd.in/gAHRKKVP

Diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in 2009, Patricia Smith underwent a few different treatments, including a stem cell transplant. Today, her cancer is in remission. For the past 12 years, Dana-Farber’s Adult Survivorship Program has been a pillar of support for Patricia, helping her monitor her health and providing peace of mind — which she passes on to others through art therapy. Learn more about Patricia’s journey: http://ms.spr.ly/6045lvAzZ

After settling into her new role as program coordinator in the Gynecologic Disease Center, Isabel Donohoe was looking for some guidance. The Institute was a large place, and Donohoe wondered how her career might progress. Fortunately, her co-worker, Katie Poulin, invited her to an Administrative Professionals Group meeting that had answers.   It was one of the first meetings for a new mentorship program that pairs administrative staff of different experience levels. At the meeting, Donohoe, a self-proclaimed extrovert, was thrilled to meet dozens of staff and share goals and aspirations. She knew the program was exactly what she needed. “I threw my hat in the ring. I’m not quite sure how I got paired with Audrey,” she says. “But I’m thrilled that I did.” That’s Audrey D'Atri, Administrative Director in the Division of Cancer Genetics and Prevention who co-leads the Administrative Professionals Group with Amy Kazmouski, Administrative Director for Hematologic Malignancies and Adult Survivorship. The Administrative Professionals Group is a support network that brings together staff from all corners of the Institute. "It's hard to define what an admin professional is,” says D’Atri. “They may work in the clinic, at the check-in desk, behind the scenes supporting executives, or scheduling new patients. We want to welcome everyone."  The group has existed in some form for 15 years, and but in the last two years, D’Atri and Kazmouski, along with a planning committee of seven others, have deepened the group’s programming. So far, more than 500 staff have been added to their mailing list. “Coming out of this era of fully remote work, I think people are craving interaction and community,” says Kazmouski, an administrative director. The recent Administrative Professionals Group's Mentorship Program, in particular, has struck a chord with many, including Donohoe. Being paired with D’Atri was a turning point for her. The relationship has provided her with a sounding board for everything from navigating the Institute's resources to career progression.  "She's been very open,” Donohoe says. “With her experience at the Institute, she's given me great career advice.”  There are more than 60 mentoring pairs now, but the group’s impact extends beyond peer-to-peer mentorship. Monthly meetings connect staff with the many professional development resources available to them through the Institute. Speakers share their own career journeys in the hopes of inspiring new team members. And special events, like Admin Professionals Week, build community and show recognition for everyone’s hard work.    “These are unsung heroes,” Kazmouski says. “They do so much work behind the scenes to make the Institute run smoothly. We want to ensure they’re supported and sing their praises.” Donohoe has found that support and has even become a mentor herself. ⬇ L to R: Shannon Mcdonough, Amy Kazmouski, and Audrey D'Atri

Gathered with friends, family, and colleagues, Dana-Farber’s Nursing and Patient Care Services (NPCS) team celebrated excellence during the department’s annual recognition event and awards ceremony. “It is important to pause to reflect and acknowledge our collective efforts,” said Anne Gross PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer, when addressing the achievements of the department’s faculty and staff. Over the last year, the team contributed to the opening of the International Patient Center, increased enrollment in clinical trials with regional collaborations, published more than 85 papers, served over 15,000 volunteer hours, and more. More than 90 staff and faculty were nominated for 14 interdisciplinary awards. After thoughtful consideration of more than125 submitted nominations, the newly created NPCS Award and Recognition Committee selected individuals who truly embody the Institute’s mission and core values. Special guests included Board of Trustees Chair Josh Bekenstein and board member Amy Zarkin Reiner, whose family has supported the department’s resilience and well-being efforts for more than 20 years through the offerings of the Zarkin Family Program for Renewal and Rejuvenation. Dana-Farber President and CEO Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, presented the President’s Award for Nursing Excellence to Marianne Tawa, MSN, RN, a nurse practitioner in Cutaneous Oncology.  The event closed with Glimcher’s announcement of the $10 million gift to the Institute by the Ge Li & Ning Zhao Family Foundation – the largest single gift in support of nursing in the Institute’s history. The gift will establish the Ning Zhao & Ge Li Family Initiative in Nursing. This year’s award recipients include:  Thomas M. Kloss Nursing Leadership Awardee: Adrienne Kolk, MSN, FNP-C, AOCNP Excellence in Patient Experience and Relationship-Based Nursing Care Awardee: Sarah Sallan, MSN, CNP Outstanding Clinical Assistant/Patient Care Assistant  Awardees: Wilner Etienne, patient care assistant Casey Cohen, clinical assistant NPCS Excellence Award Awardee: Susan Marlin Procter, resource specialist Dana-Farber Collaborator in Care: Clinical Awardees: Patrick McBride, PharmD, BCOP, infusion pharmacist Tom Rosenberg, MD, physician, Pediatric Oncology Dana-Farber Collaborator in Care: Co-Clinical Awardee:  Santos Alvarado, housekeeper Certified Nurse of the Year Awardee: Paula Aguilera, BSN, RN, oncology nurse navigator NPCS Preceptor Award: RN/NP  Awardee: Nicole Kominsky, BSN, RN NPCS Preceptor Award: CA  Awardee: Melissa Costa, lead clinical assistant NPCS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Award Awardee: Michele Alvarez, MSN, BMT-CN NPCS Innovation Award Awardee: Lauren Mcgovern, MSN, RN, clinical specialist President’s Award for Nursing Excellence Awardee: Marianne Tawa, MSN, RN 👏 🌟

How do you know if you're at higher risk for skin cancer? Family history and increased sun and UV exposure raise skin cancer risk. Elizabeth Buchbinder, MD, senior physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, breaks down the risk factors for skin cancer. Learn more: http://ms.spr.ly/6048lv4hu

Here are five things you need to know to help you understand your prostate cancer risk and actively participate in decision-making about prostate cancer screening. Learn more here: http://ms.spr.ly/6041lvcuF

Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has been named a 2024 “CEO to Know” by Becker's Healthcare. As President and CEO, Dr. Glimcher has led Dana-Farber through a period of significant growth, opening three new outpatient clinics in the last four years, and now leads an effort to build a proposed 300-bed adult inpatient cancer hospital in Boston. The Beckers list honors trailblazers at academic medical centers who drive groundbreaking research, innovative clinical trials, and enhanced patient experiences. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/exgMYDTU.

It was a coincidence that all three panelists at this year's Helen Gurley Brown Presidential Summit on Women and Science went to all-girls high schools, but the self-confidence they gained there was fully intentional. "In my physics class, all the students were women, so I never for one minute thought that women couldn't do physics," said Fiona H. Marshall, PhD, president of biomedical research at Novartis. "We were very much taught that women could do anything." The power of that adage – and the accomplishments of those who embrace it – were at the foreground of the summit, held in June at Dana-Farber. The panelists and host, Dana-Farber President and CEO Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, spoke on their journeys to prominent positions in the traditionally male-dominated fields of medicine and science and discussed how their experiences intersect with those of young women scientists today. The annual summit, now in its eighth year, is part of the Helen Gurley Brown Presidential Initiative at Dana-Farber, which supports the careers of women scientists at the Institute. The initiative is funded by the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation – named for its founder, the longtime editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine – and includes a mentorship program that pairs early-career women scientists with senior women faculty members at Dana-Farber, and Trailblazer awards that fund innovative research projects led by mid-career women scientists. "There's too much at stake to limit women scientists' professional success," Glimcher said. "Women together, united, are powerful. Together we can lift each other up." Invited to discuss the origins of their interest in science and their advice for young women scientists, the panelists agreed there is no single template for a career in science. They each described an early fascination with the workings of nature and a belief, instilled by their schooling, that they could accomplish whatever they set out to do. Describing herself as "endlessly curious," panelist Jean King, PhD, Peterson Family dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, said she'd always been interested in "making the invisible, visible – wondering why things work the way they do. The moment you discover the answer stays with you for the rest of your life." She counsels young researchers to follow their passion. "Your passion will lead you to your purpose, and not always by the expected path," she said. "You may discover a new interest along the way. Pursue it, be bold." Marshall described how her own path departed from the norm. Early in her career, she took five years off to raise her young children – an unorthodox decision for an ambitious scientist, man or woman. Her plan to be a stay-at-home mom lasted about a month, she said, and she began teaching and doing consulting work. Her consulting work provided a network of professional contacts that she was able to tap when she decided to return to full-time research. 🔬