Funding for Cancer Research Saves Lives and Dollars

Christine Wilson, cancer survivor, shares her experiences from the Abramson Cancer Center’s 2013- Focus on Pancreatic Cancer Conference. In this blog, she discusses funding for cancer research.

Margaret Foti, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Association for Cancer Research, opened the 2nd Focus on Pancreatic Cancer Conference with a comprehensive overview of the progress made against cancer and the challenges facing researchers, clinicians and patients today. Dr. Foti noted that while there has been significant progress in a “new era of science and medicine,” the global incidence of cancer continues to rise, and “we have not stemmed the tide of many major cancers.”

She pointed to the ongoing need to foster innovative approaches, exemplified by the work at the Abramson Cancer Center, in order to reach the point where we can “deliver the right dose of the right drug to the right patient at the right time.” She also noted that in many instances, cancer is increasingly becoming a chronic disease. Penn, she noted, is “uniquely equipped to translate research, provide access to clinical trials, multidisciplinary treatment and expertise in treating rare and difficult cancers.”

Dr. Foti called on the audience to support a “decisive assault on cancer, harnessing the collective knowledge, passion and smarts of scientists and clinicians from a broad spectrum of fields. She pointed to Stand Up To Cancer’s $200 million commitment in cancer research, which includes a grant to Penn to study new approaches to pancreatic cancer, as an outstanding example of an innovative funding mechanism that brings together researchers from different disciplines and institutions. Dr. Foti called on the audience to tap the power of individuals, the power of public leaders and the power of patient leaders to make cancer research a national priority.

Learn more about Penn Medicine's Stand Up To Cancer Pancreatic Cancer Dream Team here.