ASCO will honor Anna T. Meadows, MD, a distinguished pediatric oncologist who led the way for survivorship studies of children with cancer, with its inaugural Ellen L. Stovall Award and Lecture for Advancement of Cancer Survivorship Care. The award is intended to recognize and promote leaders who have made significant and enduring contributions to the field of survivorship. Dr. Meadows will receive the award and deliver a keynote lecture at the 2017 Cancer Survivorship Symposium, which will be held January 27-28 in San Diego, CA.

“One of the most important questions physicians and oncologists are facing is what life looks like after cancer,” said Dr. Meadows. “As the first recipient, I am truly honored to accept this award, which celebrates the advances in the field of cancer survivorship and highlights the important, ongoing work that addresses the very real concerns and fears of cancer survivors. I am looking forward to researchers and clinicians developing and expanding this important and rapidly growing aspect of cancer care.” 

The Ellen L. Stovall Award and Lecture for Advancement of Cancer Survivorship Care was established to recognize a distinguished leader in the survivorship field at the annual Cancer Survivorship Symposium. The award is named after Ellen L. Stovall, FASCO, a three-time cancer survivor who dedicated her life to patient advocacy and public service during her 30 survivorship years. She was relentless in advocating for better cancer care before her death in January 2016. Ms. Stovall served on the NCI's National Cancer Advisory Board and was a founding member of both the Institute of Medicine's National Cancer Policy Board and its successor the National Cancer Policy Forum.

“As an early pioneer in the field of survivorship research and care, Dr. Meadows made it her mission to understand the full effects of cancer treatment and care for patients with cancer throughout the rest of their lives,” said Kevin C. Oeffinger, MD, Chair of the 2017 Cancer Survivorship Symposium Program Committee. “It is a privilege to honor Dr. Meadows with our inaugural award; her work has positively affected the lives of cancer survivors for years to come.”   

During her 40 year-long medical career at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Dr. Meadows worked to treat young patients with cancer when only about 2 of 10 children with cancer were likely to be cured; a statistic that has now risen to 8 of 10. During her time at CHOP, Dr. Meadows was Director of the Division of Oncology & Children’s Cancer Research Center from 1988 to 1998, established specialized care centers for survivors of childhood cancer of all ages, and authored well over 200 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Meadows also served as the inaugural Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship at NCI from 1996 to 1999, and was the 2006 recipient of the ASCO Pediatric Oncology Award and Lectureship.

Before entering medicine, Dr. Meadows was a clinical psychologist, which helped to shape her research focus in survivorship care, particularly in pediatric survivors. Her work was instrumental in developing protocols for childhood leukemia, lymphoma, and retinoblastoma. For retinoblastoma, these treatments have resulted in the saving of vision and eyes of scores of children worldwide. Dr. Meadows has since retired from medicine.