Press Release
Sep 08, 2021
Chris Martin CMartin@DavidJamesGroup.com | 630-670-2745
DENVER--September 8, 2021—The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer today awarded four cancer care teams from around the globe with one of the association’s most prestigious awards—the IASLC Cancer Care Team Award (CCTA). The winning teams were announced today during the IASLC 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer Denver.
The CCTA recognizes a single institution in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia/Rest of the World that provides exceptional care for patients with lung cancer and thoracic malignancies. Of the four winning teams, a single team is selected as the overall winner.
Teams are nominated by patients/survivors and/or family members. A nomination can include up to six individuals from the care team (e.g., oncologist, surgeon, nurse, palliative care provider, etc.). Nominations are accepted from all around the world.
“Oftentimes delivery of patient care is at its best when multidisciplinary team members offer the patient seamless and informed communication, as well as an individualized treatment plan based on not just the patient’s needs but the patient’s wishes,” said IASLC President Dr. Tetsuya Mitsudomi.
To learn more about the award winners, view the video here: 2021 IASLC Cancer Team Awards.mp4 (vimeo.com)
OVERALL Winner: Asia/ROW -- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Benjamin Solomon (Medical Oncologist)
- Nikki Plumridge (Radiation Oncologist)
- Mary Duffy (Nurse Consultant)
- Ekaterina Kamysheva (Clinical Psychologist)
“Knowing that my mental and emotional well-being took precedence at that time, was exactly what I needed in order to be prepared for the next steps,” said Lisa Briggs, one of patients treated by the MacCallum Cancer Centre team. Briggs nominated the team for the IASLC award. The compassion showed by all members of my team in this instance to address the logistics as well as the mental/emotional challenges was commendable and I honestly believe the outcome from my treatment was due to this team effort.”
North America -- UW Health Madison, Madison, Wis.
- Narjust Duma (Medical Oncologist)
- Clare O’Connor (Endocrinologist)
- Pam Sekelsky (RN)
- Aimee Huey (RN)
- Ticiana Leal (Medical Oncologist)
- Toby Campbell (Thoracic Medical Oncologist)
- Anne Traynor (Thoracic Medical Oncologist)
- Kimberly K. *RN (Nurse/Nurse Practitioner)
“They listen and solve the problem or come up with a solution. Instead of just ‘patting me on the back’ and telling me to just go home and live my life,” said Cindy Berndt, the patient who nominated the cancer team at UW Health Madison. “If I get frustrated, they are always there for me.
Europe -- Royal Marsden Hospital & Institute of Cancer Research, London
- Dr. Sanjay Popat (Thoracic Medical Oncologist)
- Ms. Joanna Vick (Clinical Nurse Specialist)
- Dr. Susanne MacMahon (Senior Clinical Scientist)
- Dr. Fiona McDonald (Thoracic Clinical Oncologist)
- Dr. Liam Welsh (Neuro Clinical Oncologist)
“I feel involved in the decision-making process and that whatever is decided is a result of a discussion based on mutual understanding,” said Jenny Abbott, a patient being treated for lung cancer at Royal Marsden. ” I cannot imagine how I would cope with the trauma of having terminal cancer without this. I feel truly 'held' and am immensely grateful for this.” Abbott nominated the team at Royal Marsden for the CCTA award.
Latin America -- Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (National Cancer Institute), Mexico City
- Oscar Arrieta (Medical Oncologist)
- Feliciano Barrón (Medical Oncologist)
- Luis Cabrera (Medical Oncologist)
- Francisco Corona (Thoracic Surgeon)
- Edgar Varela (Medical Oncologist)
- Adriana Lope (Physician’s Assistant)
- David Heredia (Medical Oncologist)
“This team has shown huge empathy and compassion for all the obstacles a patient deals with during this process,” said Miryana Perez Vela Nieto, one of two individuals who nominated the team from Instituto Nacional de Cancerlogia.
About the IASLC:
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes nearly 7,500 lung cancer specialists across all disciplines in over 100 countries, forming a global network working together to conquer lung and thoracic cancers worldwide. The association also publishes the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. Visit www.iaslc.org for more information.
About the WCLC:
The WCLC is the world’s largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting more than 7,000 researchers, physicians and specialists from more than 100 countries. The goal is to increase awareness, collaboration and understanding of lung cancer, and to help participants implement the latest developments across the globe. The conference will cover a wide range of disciplines and unveil several research studies and clinical trial results. For more information, visit https://wclc2021.iaslc.org/.