The 2019 honorees were recognized at the Stovall Award Reception on November 13 in Washington, DC. The award presentation featured videos highlighting the honorees and their work. Read more about the evening below.
NCCS Presents 4th Annual Ellen L. Stovall Award to Dr. Harmar Brereton and Dana Dornsife for Their Innovation and Dedication to Cancer Survivors
Washington, D.C. – The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) presented the 4th annual Ellen L. Stovall Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care to Dr. Harmar Brereton and Dana Dornsife on November 13.
Named for former NCCS CEO Ellen Stovall, who died in 2016 due to complications from three cancer treatments, the award highlights those who continue Ellen’s work of transforming cancer care to further incorporate patients’ goals, needs, and values. Sen. Robert Casey (PA) and Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-8) joined NCCS to present the award to their constituent, Dr. Brereton, and Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), a cancer survivor, presented the award to his constituent, Mrs. Dornsife.
“The Stovall Awards reception is a highlight of our year, as we honor Ellen’s legacy of advocating for everyone touched by cancer to have access to the best cancer care possible, during and after their cancer treatment. This year’s honorees exemplify her life’s work and passion: Dr. Harmar Brereton was her physician and friend, and is a compassionate, patient-centered oncologist and teacher, and Dana Dornsife has dedicated herself to ensuring that cancer patients have access to clinical trials for their treatment and to advance the science,” said Shelley Fuld Nasso, NCCS CEO.
Sen. Bob Casey (Left) and Rep. Matt Cartwright (Right) present the 2019 Stovall Award to their constituent Harmar Brereton, MD. (Photo: Leslie E. Kossoff/LK Photos)
Dr. Brereton spent thirty-three years in private practice and founded the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute in his community of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He teaches at the Weill Cornell School of Medicine and is on the faculty of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, formerly the Commonwealth Medical College, a school he helped found. He is also a leadership team member of the International Cancer Expert Corps. Dr. Brereton is a graduate of Yale University and earned a medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He trained in Internal Medicine at Emory University, Medical Oncology and Hematology at the NCI, and Radiation Oncology at Johns Hopkins University.
Sen. Bob Casey said of Dr. Brereton, “Two words that come to mind, not describing a doctor, but describing a human being: uncommon decency.”
“Dr. Brereton has not only transformed cancer care in our region, but he continues to change the culture of cancer care everywhere as he teaches and guides the next generation of providers about true patient-centered care,” said Rep. Matt Cartwright.
Dr. Brereton reflected on his drive to serve patients: “These long-term relationships we have with patients require humility. However, it is also these long-term relationships that for me have been so important in shaping and reaffirming my conviction of trying to meet my patient’s needs.” He continued, “We honor our cancer patients by remembering them, and by telling their stories.”
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier presents the 2019 Stovall Award to his constituent Dana Dornsife. (Photo: Leslie E. Kossoff/LK Photos)
Dana Dornsife is Chair of the Board and Founder of Lazarex Cancer Foundation, a nationwide non-profit organization she created in 2006. The unique mission of Lazarex is to improve the outcome of cancer care—giving hope, dignity, and life to advanced stage cancer patients and the medically underserved by providing assistance with costs for FDA clinical trial participation, identification of clinical trial options, community outreach and engagement. Mrs. Dornsife expanded the mission at Lazarex to bring transformational change to the bench to bedside process of clinical trial enrollment, retention, minority participation and equitable access with IMPACT (IMproving Patient Access to Cancer Clinical Trials). She is a graduate of Drexel University in Philadelphia and serves as a board member of the USC Brain and Creativity Institute at University of Southern California, the UCSF Cancer Leadership Council, and the MGH Presidents Council.
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier commented, “Dana’s an example of somebody who was about to lose a family member whom she loved, at an age where you wouldn’t expect to. And she did what we would all think that we would do. She dropped everything to make sure that her sister had every ounce of her energy, affection, and love. And then she transferred that, not just to her sister, but all of us.”
In her remarks, Mrs. Dornsife said, “I am honored and I am humbled to be a recipient of the Ellen Stovall award, an award that really is a testament to [Ellen’s] pioneering and transformational work on behalf of all cancer patients. And although I’m standing here and I’m the named recipient of this award, I would not be here if it wasn’t for all of the treasured people in my life who’ve been critical in advancing the Lazarex Cancer Foundation mission.”
Platinum Sponsor
Janssen/Pharmacyclics
Gold Sponsors
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Laurie Isenberg & Joel Roos (In Memory of Ellen L. Stovall)
Kite, a Gilead Company
Merck
Novartis
Silver Sponsors
Douglas & Vicki Blayney
Celgene
Drexel University
The Dufour Collaborative
Pfizer
PhRMA
Sandy Welton
Eleanor Winter & Dan Backo
Bronze Sponsors
AbbVie
Jeff & Jane Bulman (In Memory of Ellen L. Stovall)
Eisai
International Cancer Expert Corps
Takeda
Supporters
Amgen
American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)
The Blomain Family (In Honor of Harmar Brereton)
Joseph Cesare, MD & Kathryn Cesare
C. Norman & Karolynn F. Coleman (In Honor of Harmar Brereton)
Dana Dornsife
Taylor Ferrell
Geisinger
Hope Healthcare (Samira K. Beckwith)
Jennifer McGihon Jones
Sandra & Morey Myers
Michael & Shelley Nasso
The Family of Lillian B. Rice
Julia H. Rowland, PhD
Tom Smith, MD
Jonathan Stovall & Briana Black
Taiho Oncology
U.S. Senate
The Hon. John Boozman
The Hon. Robert P. Casey, Jr.
The Hon. Dianne Feinstein
The Hon. Charles E. Grassley
The Hon. Cindy Hyde-Smith
The Hon. Edward J. Markey
The Hon. Patty Murray
The Hon. Mike Rounds
The Hon. Charles E. Schumer
The Hon. Tim Scott
The Hon. Chris Van Hollen
The Hon. Roger F. Wicker
U.S. House of Representative
The Hon. Alma S. Adams
The Hon. Don Bacon, BGen, USAFA (Ret)
The Hon. Nanette Diaz Barragan
The Hon. Earl Blumenauer
The Hon. Julia Brownley
The Hon. André Carson
The Hon. Matthew Cartwright
The Hon. David Cicilline
The Hon. William Lacy Clay
The Hon. Tom Cole
The Hon. Gerald E. Connolly
The Hon. J. Luis Correa
The Hon. TJ Cox
The Hon. Elijah Cummings
The Hon. Diana DeGette
The Hon. Suzan K. DelBene
The Hon. Mark DeSaulnier
The Hon. Debbie Dingell
The Hon. Mike Doyle
The Hon. Tom Emmer
The Hon. Veronica Escobar
The Hon. Anna G. Eshoo
The Hon. Brian Fitzpatrick
The Hon. Lizzie Fletcher
The Hon. Mike Gallagher
The Hon. John Garamendi
The Hon. Raúl M. Grijalva
The Hon. Jimmy Gomez
The Hon. Michael Guest
The Hon. Debra A. Haaland
The Hon. Vicky Hartzler
The Hon. Alcee L. Hastings
The Hon. Brian Higgins
The Hon. James A. Himes
The Hon. Christina Houlahan
The Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee
The Hon. Joseph P. Kennedy, III
The Hon. Derek C. Kilmer
The Hon. Ron Kind
The Hon. Raja Krishnamoorthi
The Hon. Ann McLane Kuster
The Hon. Doug Lamborn
The Hon. Barbara Lee
The Hon. Zoe Lofgren
The Hon. Alan S. Lowenthal
The Hon. Stephen F. Lynch
The Hon. Sean Patrick Maloney
The Hon. Brian J. Mast
The Hon. Betty McCollum
The Hon. Cathy McMorris Rodgers
The Hon. Jerry McNerney
The Hon. Grace Meng
The Hon. Seth Moulton
The Hon. Stephanie N. Murphy
The Hon. Jerrold Nadler
The Hon. Donald W. Norcross
The Hon. Donald M. Payne
The Hon. Chellie Pingree
The Hon. Ayanna Pressley
The Hon. Michael Quigley
The Hon. Jamie Raskin
The Hon. Kathleen M. Rice
The Hon. Lucille Roybal-Allard
The Hon. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger
The Hon. Janice D. Schakowsky
The Hon. Adam B. Schiff
The Hon. Kim Schrier, MD
The Hon. Donna E. Shalala
The Hon. Mikie Sherrill
The Hon. Albio Sires
The Hon. Adrian M. Smith
The Hon. Jackie Speier
The Hon. Peter Stauber
The Hon. Haley M. Stevens
The Hon. Thomas R. Suozzi
The Hon. Eric Swalwell
The Hon. Mark Takano
The Hon. Glenn Thompson
The Hon. Dina Titus
The Hon. Paul Tonko
The Hon. Fred Upton
The Hon. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
The Hon. Jennifer T. Wexton
2018 STOVALL AWARD RECEPTION
The honorees were recognized at the Stovall Award Reception in Washington, DC.
The Hon. Alma Adams
The Hon. Mark Amodei
The Hon. Donald S. Beyer
The Hon. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.
The Hon. Earl Blumenauer
The Hon. Matt Cartwright
The Hon. Yvette D. Clarke
The Hon. Mike Coffman
The Hon. Jim Cooper
The Hon. Elijah Cummings
The Hon. Rodney Davis
The Hon. Rosa DeLauro
The Hon. Debbie Dingell
The Hon. Lloyd Doggett
The Hon. Mike Doyle
The Hon. Brian Fitzpatrick
The Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton
The Hon. Ro Khanna
The Hon. Barbara Lee
The Hon. Jim McGovern
The Hon. Chellie Pingree
The Hon. Ted Poe
The Hon. Jamie Raskin
The Hon. Pete Sessions
The Hon. Eric Swalwell
The Hon. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
2017 STOVALL AWARD RECEPTION
Left to right: Dr. Julia Rowland, Martha “Meg” Gaines, NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso, Patrick Coyne, and Dr. Thomas Smith at the 2017 Stovall Award Reception.
NCCS presented the Stovall Award to Mr. Coyne and Ms. Gaines at the second annual Stovall Award Reception in Washington, D.C on October 19, 2017. Mr. Coyne was nominated by Thomas J. Smith, MD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Ms. Gaines was nominated by Julia H. Rowland, PhD, recently retired director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship at the National Cancer Institute.
Named for longtime CEO of NCCS and three-time cancer survivor Ellen L. Stovall, who died in 2016, the award aims to honor her memory and advocacy by annually recognizing individuals, organizations, or other entities that are innovators in improving cancer care. Applications for the 2018 Stovall Award will be accepted beginning February 1, 2018.
“Ellen Stovall set the bar in advocacy with her determination to improve cancer care for everyone,” said NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso. “Pat Coyne and Meg Gaines have dedicated their careers to making the lives of all those diagnosed with cancer better, and each is incredibly deserving of the Stovall Award. We were honored to have an outstanding set of nominees. I want to thank our sponsors and all the individuals who submitted nominations and served on the selection committee for making this year’s award program an incredible achievement. All of us at NCCS are excited to build on this success for next year’s award.”
“Receiving this award is humbling for me knowing how hard Ellen tirelessly fought for the needs of others,” said Pat Coyne. “It is an honor to be associated with her name, and all that she stood for to put the needs of patients at the center of cancer care. We have come a long way, but so much more work remains. I sincerely appreciate Dr. Smith, the selection committee, NCCS, and all those associated with the Stovall Award for this recognition.”
“I was privileged to know Ellen Stovall, and am honored to have my work recognized by the organization she started, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship,” said Meg Gaines. “Ellen paved the way for cancer survivors across the globe; her gentle but mighty hand will be felt for generations.”
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Founder
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute
“Perhaps one of the most impactful collaborations in Dr. Brereton’s extraordinary career remains his early work and long friendship with Ellen Stovall. Through him, and in turn through the thousands of lives he has touched, Ellen’s work continues, and her mission lives on.”
—Karen M. Saunders
President, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute