Since 2010, the Conquer Cancer Foundationhas flourished under the leadershipof Board of Directors Chair MartinJ. Murphy, DMedSc, PhD, of AlphaMedConsulting, Inc. In the following interview,Dr. Murphy reflects on the twoand a half years of his tenure thusfar and discusses what the next fewmonths hold as he prepares to pass thetorch to a new Chair at the end of 2012.

AC:What was happening inthe Foundation when you wereapproached to serve as Chair?
Dr.Murphy: I was approachedaboutthe position at a time that might bedescribed as pivotal in the historyof the Foundation. During its decadeof life, the Foundation had been therecipient of significant contributionsthat were generously made by a varietyof donors, but it had not been an active“friendraising” or fundraising organization.

At that time, [ASCO CEO] Dr. AllenLichter submitted to the FoundationBoard that, in his words, “the future ofASCO is predicated upon the success ofits Foundation,” and the Foundation’sabilities, commitment, and vision neededto be revitalized. If we predicate thatthe future of ASCO has a huge impacton the lives and quality of lives ofpatients across this nation and aroundthe world, then the Foundation’s successis critical for patients. That wasa clarion call. When Dr. Lichter andthen-President Dr. Douglas Blayneyapproached me under those conditions,it was impossible to say no. It was timefor a quantum leap forward.

AC:What were some of the biggestchallenges during your term?
Dr.Murphy: The renaissance oftheFoundation. None of us in the Foundation’sleadership intended to keep thestatus quo. We needed an introspectiveexamination of conscience to ask,“What is the destiny of this organization?”And we had to ask for a referendum:was each of us willing to salutethis new, active, energetic, outwardlooking,time-demanding banner? Tothe great credit of every Director of(what at that time was called) TheASCO Cancer Foundation, every onerose up to say, “I’m with you.”

The first thing we did was to developthe new mission and new vision of theFoundation, from which we derived thenew name: the Conquer Cancer Foundationof the American Society of ClinicalOncology.

AC:What has been the highlight ofyour experience as Chair?
Dr.Murphy: Working for a noblecausewith people I really admire, who areequally consecrated to that cause. I’veseen individuals arise time and again tochallenges that they surely considereddaunting, because they knew it was theright thing to do for patients. It was agreat honor to extend invitations toour three new Board members—Dr.Tom Roberts, Mr. Ira Elegant, and Mr.Michael Gordon—who bring resolve,new insights, and inspiration. ASCO andthe Foundation have a long tradition ofthe finest volunteers in the land, withoutquestion. They have a deep dedicationand selflessness; they leave theiregos checked at the door and enter fora common good. Working under thosecircumstances and with these very specialpeople is a great honor.

AC:In addition to your volunteerwork, you’re also a financial supporter.Why is it important to you togive back?
Dr.Murphy: I don’tconsider it givingback. The word “philanthropy” comesfrom the Greek word philos, whichmeans “to love.” I find it a great joy toinvest in the Conquer Cancer Foundation,the future of ASCO, and the livesof patients with cancer. If we acceptthat ASCO is only here to receive ourdues and perform functions for us, weare living in but two dimensions. Bytruly participating and accepting theinvitation to contribute, you step intothe third dimension, the dimensionof “I believe. I believe in the future, Ibelieve in my profession, I believe inthe Society that represents me andmy colleagues.” It’s not enough to givethat belief lip service. We need to getup off of our good intentions, makethat meaningful financial contribution,and watch the third dimension of lifebegin to unfold. I extend the invitation to every single ASCO member tocontribute to a future where patients are treated better because of ourSociety.

AC:What priorities will keep you busy through December, when your term iscomplete?
Dr.Murphy: One of the thingsthat every Chair devotes him- or herselfto as their term in office comes to a close is the seamless passage ofresponsibilities and the support of their successor. One of the thingsI look forward to, and am already doing, is working very closely withsomeone I deeply admire, who is going to become our new Chair as ofJanuary 1, 2013. I will pass him the baton with great honor andpleasure. [Editor’s note: The incoming Foundation Chair willbe officially announced in September 2012.]

Before the end of the year, we hope to add a veryimportant fourth new director to the Foundation’s Board, andhave every anticipation of being able to achieve that. We will alsoconduct our third annual Conquer Cancer Foundation retreat, where wewill examine the year past, assess what has been successful or notsuccessful, and set priorities for the coming year.

Finally, a major initiative that ASCO’s Board hasundertaken—perhaps the single largest initiative in thehistory of ASCO—is the rapid learning system. In order forthis system, called CancerLinQ, to fulfill its destiny to provide rapidlearning for physicians and immediate benefits for patients, it willneed significant funding. We on the Foundation Board will continue towork very hard on bringing in the necessary funds for ASCO leadershipto test-fly a prototype of CancerLinQ in 2013.

Dr.Murphy is the Founding Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AlphaMedConsulting, Inc., which provides strategic support for academic cancercenters and cancer drug development programs of global pharmaceuticaland biotechnology companies. He has served on theFoundation’s Board of Directors since 2005.