Fight Colorectal Cancer Launches its Plan to Find a Cure
Fight Colorectal Cancer Launches its Plan to Find a Cure
National advocacy organization spearheads initiative that has begun conversations amongst leading scientists, researchers, and advocates who are ready to commit to innovation, push for increased funding, and demand more be done toward finding a cure for colorectal cancer.
Today, Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC), the nation’s leading patient advocacy organization, revealed its Path to a Cure Report for colorectal cancer (CRC). Path to a Cure is designed to push the science forward for CRC and strengthen advocacy efforts. Out of the initiative has come the Path to a Cure Report, a plan that summarizes and communicates the way forward for the CRC community—a community that has seen very few treatment breakthroughs in the past decade and is anticipating colorectal cancer to become the No. 1 cancer killer amongst 20-49 year olds in the next eight years.
While the rest of the world has been fighting a pandemic, Fight CRC has been developing a plan that ensures patients’ real needs stay at the core part of research efforts. The Path to a Cure Report revolves around pushing forward critical areas of research; care for patients; and policy, from prevention to survivorship.
“As a community, there is tremendous potential when we coordinate our efforts toward common goals. This project brings together many of the thought leaders in the colorectal cancer community who are passionate about accelerating research and improving outcomes for colorectal cancer patients. Together, we can tackle big ideas with ambitious and meaningful impact!” – Dr. Scott Kopetz, research and medical oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center
As a catalyst for change, Fight CRC invested two major gifts from former board members Steve Depp and Dina M. Golas. Their legacy gifts enabled Fight CRC to host the first annual Path to a Cure Think Tank in Springfield, Mo. on Dec. 3, 2021. Thought leaders from across the country were convened to discuss what groundbreaking research can be advanced.
Together, working hand in hand across industry, academia, advocacy, public health, government agencies, and with patients, the Path to a Cure Report will drive and unify stakeholders to ask important questions, prioritize, and expand scientific efforts.
“We want to take this plan to Capitol Hill and show members of Congress that this is what we will do with the funds they allocated for colorectal cancer research. We want to show them we developed a plan, we brought together the brightest minds, and here’s why we need the money.” – Molly McDonnell, Director of Advocacy at Fight Colorectal Cancer
Participants in the Path to a Cure Think Tank and Report:
- Alex Aleshin, MD, MBA – Natera
- Al Benson, MD – Northwestern University
- Jordan Berlin, MD – Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
- Frank Berger, PhD – University of South Carolina
- Durado Brooks, MD, MPH – Exact Sciences
- Timothy Cannon – Inova Medical Group
- Yin Cao, ScD, MPH – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
- Andrea Cercek, MD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- George Chang, MD, MS, FACS, FASCRS, FSSO – MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Jeff Crowley – O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
- Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO – Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
- Dustin Deming, MD – University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
- Ryan Fields, MD – Washington University in St. Louis
- Mark Fleury, PhD – ACS Cancer Action Network
- Ashley Glode, PharmD – University of Colorado
- Richard Goldberg, MD – West Virginia University Cancer Institute
- Samir Gupta, MD – University of California, San Diego
- Heather Hampel, MS, LGC – Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Chris Heery, MD – Precision BioSciences
- Rishi Jain, MD – Fox Chase Cancer Center
- Wenora Johnson – Survivor Advocate
- Sheetal Kircher, MD – Northwestern University
- Jennifer Kolb, MD – VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System
- Scott Kopetz, MD* – MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Smitha Krishnamurthi, MD – Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Kathryn Lang, MBBS, MRCP – Guardant Health
- Dung Le, MD – Johns Hopkins Medical Center
- Chris Lieu, MD – University of Colorado Cancer Center
- Fola May, MD, PhD – University of California, Los Angeles
- Neal Meropol, MD – Flatiron Health
- Noel de Miranda, PhD – Leiden University
- Van Morris, MD – MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Caitlin Murphy, PhD, MPH – University of Texas Southwestern
- Heidi Nelson, MD – American College of Surgeons
- Linda Overholser, MD, MPH – University of Colorado Cancer Center
- Michael Overman, MD – MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Swati Patel, MD – University of Colorado
- José Perea, MD – Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital
- Curt Pesmen – Survivor Advocate
- Nicholas Petrelli, MD, FACS – ChristianaCare Health System
- Lisa Richardson, MD – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Leonard Saltz, MD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Nina Sanford, MD – UT Southwestern
- Cynthia Sears, MD – Johns Hopkins University
- Rebecca Seigel, MPH – American Cancer Society
- Wendy Selig – Meeting Facilitator
- Robert Smith, PhD – American Cancer Society
- Peter Stanich, MD – Ohio State University
- Scott Steele, MD, MBA – Cleveland Clinic
- Joel E Tepper, MD – University of North Carolina School of Medicine
- Erin Van Blarigan, ScD – University of California, San Francisco
- Jennifer Weiss, MD, MS – University of Wisconsin
- Karen Wheling – Survivor Advocate
- Ann Zauber, PhD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Organizations and individuals committed to finding a cure for colorectal cancer are encouraged to become strategic partners of the Path to a Cure Report. Strategic partners’ support will amplify the effort and showcase its importance, especially to policymakers who are making funding decisions.
National advocacy organization spearheads initiative that has begun conversations amongst leading scientists, researchers, and advocates who are ready to commit to innovation, push for increased funding, and demand more be done toward finding a cure for colorectal cancer.
Today, Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC), the nation’s leading patient advocacy organization, revealed its Path to a Cure Report for colorectal cancer (CRC). Path to a Cure is designed to push the science forward for CRC and strengthen advocacy efforts. Out of the initiative has come the Path to a Cure Report, a plan that summarizes and communicates the way forward for the CRC community—a community that has seen very few treatment breakthroughs in the past decade and is anticipating colorectal cancer to become the No. 1 cancer killer amongst 20-49 year olds in the next eight years.
While the rest of the world has been fighting a pandemic, Fight CRC has been developing a plan that ensures patients’ real needs stay at the core part of research efforts. The Path to a Cure Report revolves around pushing forward critical areas of research; care for patients; and policy, from prevention to survivorship.
“As a community, there is tremendous potential when we coordinate our efforts toward common goals. This project brings together many of the thought leaders in the colorectal cancer community who are passionate about accelerating research and improving outcomes for colorectal cancer patients. Together, we can tackle big ideas with ambitious and meaningful impact!” – Dr. Scott Kopetz, research and medical oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center
As a catalyst for change, Fight CRC invested two major gifts from former board members Steve Depp and Dina M. Golas. Their legacy gifts enabled Fight CRC to host the first annual Path to a Cure Think Tank in Springfield, Mo. on Dec. 3, 2021. Thought leaders from across the country were convened to discuss what groundbreaking research can be advanced.
Together, working hand in hand across industry, academia, advocacy, public health, government agencies, and with patients, the Path to a Cure Report will drive and unify stakeholders to ask important questions, prioritize, and expand scientific efforts.
“We want to take this plan to Capitol Hill and show members of Congress that this is what we will do with the funds they allocated for colorectal cancer research. We want to show them we developed a plan, we brought together the brightest minds, and here’s why we need the money.” – Molly McDonnell, Director of Advocacy at Fight Colorectal Cancer
Participants in the Path to a Cure Think Tank and Report:
- Alex Aleshin, MD, MBA – Natera
- Al Benson, MD – Northwestern University
- Jordan Berlin, MD – Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
- Frank Berger, PhD – University of South Carolina
- Durado Brooks, MD, MPH – Exact Sciences
- Timothy Cannon – Inova Medical Group
- Yin Cao, ScD, MPH – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
- Andrea Cercek, MD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- George Chang, MD, MS, FACS, FASCRS, FSSO – MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Jeff Crowley – O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
- Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO – Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
- Dustin Deming, MD – University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
- Ryan Fields, MD – Washington University in St. Louis
- Mark Fleury, PhD – ACS Cancer Action Network
- Ashley Glode, PharmD – University of Colorado
- Richard Goldberg, MD – West Virginia University Cancer Institute
- Samir Gupta, MD – University of California, San Diego
- Heather Hampel, MS, LGC – Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Chris Heery, MD – Precision BioSciences
- Rishi Jain, MD – Fox Chase Cancer Center
- Wenora Johnson – Survivor Advocate
- Sheetal Kircher, MD – Northwestern University
- Jennifer Kolb, MD – VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System
- Scott Kopetz, MD* – MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Smitha Krishnamurthi, MD – Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Kathryn Lang, MBBS, MRCP – Guardant Health
- Dung Le, MD – Johns Hopkins Medical Center
- Chris Lieu, MD – University of Colorado Cancer Center
- Fola May, MD, PhD – University of California, Los Angeles
- Neal Meropol, MD – Flatiron Health
- Noel de Miranda, PhD – Leiden University
- Van Morris, MD – MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Caitlin Murphy, PhD, MPH – University of Texas Southwestern
- Heidi Nelson, MD – American College of Surgeons
- Linda Overholser, MD, MPH – University of Colorado Cancer Center
- Michael Overman, MD – MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Swati Patel, MD – University of Colorado
- José Perea, MD – Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital
- Curt Pesmen – Survivor Advocate
- Nicholas Petrelli, MD, FACS – ChristianaCare Health System
- Lisa Richardson, MD – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Leonard Saltz, MD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Nina Sanford, MD – UT Southwestern
- Cynthia Sears, MD – Johns Hopkins University
- Rebecca Seigel, MPH – American Cancer Society
- Wendy Selig – Meeting Facilitator
- Robert Smith, PhD – American Cancer Society
- Peter Stanich, MD – Ohio State University
- Scott Steele, MD, MBA – Cleveland Clinic
- Joel E Tepper, MD – University of North Carolina School of Medicine
- Erin Van Blarigan, ScD – University of California, San Francisco
- Jennifer Weiss, MD, MS – University of Wisconsin
- Karen Wheling – Survivor Advocate
- Ann Zauber, PhD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Organizations and individuals committed to finding a cure for colorectal cancer are encouraged to become strategic partners of the Path to a Cure Report. Strategic partners’ support will amplify the effort and showcase its importance, especially to policymakers who are making funding decisions.
