NCCS to Recognize Phuong Gallagher and Mary McCabe, RN, with 2023 Ellen L. Stovall Award

NCCS is pleased to announce the 2023 winners of the Ellen L. Stovall Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care are Phuong Gallagher and Mary McCabe, RN, MA. They will be recognized at the 2023 Ellen L. Stovall Award Reception on Thursday, October 26, 2023.

NCCS presents the Stovall Award annually to two recipients who have improved the care and lives of cancer survivors and their families — one health care professional and one patient advocate or advocacy organization. The selection committee chose from among a highly-qualified group of nominees who embody the essence of the award and Ellen’s passion and advocacy for patient-centered cancer care.

NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso had the following to say about the 2023 Stovall Award Winners:

“Phuong Gallagher exemplifies the tireless advocacy of Ellen Stovall. Like Ellen, Phuong was diagnosed with cancer as a young adult and used her experience to help others, offering hope and support to newly diagnosed cancer survivors and advocating for patient-centered cancer care. She has a collaborative approach, with a relentless focus on the patient experience, and a special emphasis on young onset colorectal cancer. As a research advocate, she has contributed to research on topics such as sexual health, fertility preservation, palliative care, and quality of life. She draws on her experience as a refugee immigrant, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as financial toxicity and effective communication. Phuong is passionate, dedicated, and determined, and she is truly deserving of the Stovall Award.”

“Over the course of her distinguished career as a clinician and researcher, Mary McCabe embraced a holistic approach to helping cancer survivors live well during and after cancer treatment. She developed comprehensive survivorship programs and advanced the field of survivorship through research, clinical care, professional training, and education. As a thought leader, she collaborated with professional societies to set standards for survivorship care. She influenced public policy and inspired the next generation of survivorship clinicians and researchers. Even in retirement, Mary continues to share her wisdom and talents, partnering with NCCS to create the Elevating Survivorship program in 2019 and serving as a mentor and coach to Elevate Ambassadors as they work to improve survivorship care in their communities. We are deeply grateful for Mary’s devotion to cancer survivorship and are thrilled to honor Mary with the Stovall Award.”

— Shelley Fuld Nasso, NCCS CEO

We invite you to attend the awards ceremony in Washington, DC on October 26 to recognize these innovative pioneers. Please register for the event and invite colleagues, friends, and family.

Meet the Awardees

Phuong Gallagher

Patient Advocate Award
“Phuong’s dedication to infusing the research process with the patient experience has been transformative. She firmly believes that by incorporating the perspectives and needs of cancer patients, we can dramatically improve research and expedite the translation of research results into standard practice. This philosophy has been the driving force behind her advocacy efforts, and she has proven to be a catalyst for change.”

— Anjee Davis
President, Fight Colorectal Cancer

Phuong Gallagher was originally diagnosed with stage IIIC colorectal cancer at the age of 29. Phuong was newly-married, and busy balancing life between being a stepmom and working as a corporate executive.

Within a year, she was stage IV. She remembers the first two years as a time of medical confusion and loneliness, following doctors’ orders without information and feeling like the only young person with this awful disease. Then she happened to come across the Colon Club and their chat forum, Colon Talk. This chance meeting changed her life and began her advocacy.

In the fourteen years since, Phuong has emerged as a leading national advocate, collaborating with doctors, advocacy and support organizations, and researchers to promote awareness, self-advocacy, and research. She focuses on outreach to and education of adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients, empowering them to become knowledgeable self-advocates, while also facilitating improved communication between doctors, researchers, and the larger patient community.

Phuong actively collaborates with doctors internationally, contributing to over a dozen publications that shed light on the unaddressed needs of the community. Additionally, she speaks to medical students, imparting valuable insights on effective communication with cancer patients and addressing common misunderstandings.

Her impactful work has led to numerous affiliations and engagements with prestigious institutions and events. She serves as a committee member of the Cancer Survivorship Advisory Council at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Furthermore, she actively contributes as a patient representative and advocate for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), guiding research and industry on recognizing and meeting patient needs. Phuong recently completed her three-year tenure as the Colon Club Present and currently heads Fight Colorectal Cancer’s Research Advocacy Training & Support (RATS) program and was recently appointed a Member of the NCI’s Patient Advocacy Steering Committee as a Task Force Advocate.

As a panelist and speaker, Phuong participates in discussions with researchers and groups emphasizing the patient perspective. Notably, she was a panelist at the White House for the 2023 Cancer Moonshot Colorectal Cancer Forum, where she urged proper communication surrounding palliative treatment and inclusion of underserved populations in clinical trials, challenging misconceptions to ensure patients receive the care they need.

Phuong’s unwavering dedication to the colorectal cancer community has made her an influential voice in the fight against this devastating disease. Through her advocacy, she offers hope, support, and valuable insights to countless patients and healthcare professionals alike, fostering a brighter future for those affected by colorectal cancer.

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Mary McCabe, RN, MA

Health Care Professional Award
“Mary’s work has changed the national landscape of how cancer care is understood and delivered. Building on her clinical experience as a nurse and years as a nurse educator, she lent insight and acumen to promote clinical research and educational programs at the National Cancer Institute for over 14 years. The scope of her work in effect has shaped emerging survivorship programs and a new generation of nurses, physicians and related health care professionals now delivering quality care for cancer survivors.”

— Susan L. Weiner, PhD
Founder, Children’s Cancer Cause

Mary S. McCabe, RN, MA, is currently a consultant in Cancer Survivorship and Medical Ethics. She is the past Clinical Director of the Cancer Survivorship Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). From 2003 through 2016, she was responsible for developing and implementing a center-wide program and services for cancer survivors focused on research, clinical care, professional training and education. She was also a faculty member in the Division of Medical Ethics at the Cornell Weill Medical College and Chair of the MSK Ethics Committee.

A graduate of Trinity College, Emory University, and Catholic University, she was previously the nursing director at the Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and held several senior positions at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) before joining MSK. Mary is currently a member of the Survivorship Advisory Committee at the Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University, a member of the boards of Children’s Cancer Cause and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, and advisor to the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

She has served on many committees, including the Committee on Improving the Quality of Cancer Care and Guiding Cancer Control: A Path to Transformation at the National Academy of Medicine, the Survivorship Steering Committee of the American Cancer Society, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Survivorship Panel, the NCI Clinical Trials and Translational Research Advisory Committee, and is the past chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Survivorship Committee. Mary is the author of over 130 scientific publications and has received numerous national awards. These include the American Cancer Society Merit Award, Oncology Nursing Society Leadership Award, NIH Outstanding Performance Award, NIH Director’s Award, the Outstanding Alumnae Award, Emory University School of Nursing, and the Leonard Rosen Memorial Research Award given by Children’s Cause for excellence in Cancer Survivorship research. In 2020, she received the Emory University President’s Medal, the highest award given to an Emory alumnus. Currently, Mary serves as a cancer survivor advisor and navigator for immigration groups working to resettle families in the DC area.

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Stovall Award Reception Details

The honorees will be recognized at the Ellen L. Stovall Award Reception in Washington, DC on Thursday, October 26. The award presentation is open to the public and will feature special guests and videos highlighting the awardees and their work.

Award Reception Registration »

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Learn more about the Ellen L. Stovall Award »