NEW YORK, NEW YORK, Mar 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - As first reported by Broadway.com, the Cancer Support Community (CSC) will recognize Broadway star and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survivor Ashley Park with the first-ever Marin Mazzie Award for Empowerment at its Spring Celebration slated for Tuesday, April 16 in New York City.

In 2016, Mazzie and her husband, Broadway star Jason Danieley, received CSC’s Founders Award for Empowerment. After Mazzie passed away last year from ovarian cancer, CSC renamed the award after the three-time Tony nominee to recognize notable public figures who use their platform to both advocate for and inspire people who are living with cancer and their loved ones. Danieley will present the award to Park, a Tony nominee for her performance in "Mean Girls," at the ceremony.

Since Park’s diagnosis of AML at the age of 15 and her remission after eight months of hospitalization, she has been an advocate for the cancer community, especially in her support for those living with cancer in the Broadway community.

“Ashley Park’s courage in sharing her cancer experience with the world has inspired hope for patients and families on a global scale,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community, a global nonprofit that provides $50 million in free services to patients and their loved ones each year. “We are honored to recognize Ashley, who has such a strong relationship with Jason and had such fondness and admiration for Marin. For those of us who were fortunate to know Marin and experience her powerhouse talent and immeasurable strength, seeing Jason present this honor to Ashley will be both emotional and inspiring.”

Park and Mazzie’s paths crossed when they performed together in the revival of “The King and I.”

“Ashley Park’s story, compassion, and wild good sense of humor immediately endeared her to Marin - cut from a similar cloth. That and Ashley’s quiet thoughtfulness, during their shared time together, immediately brought her to mind when CSC asked me who should be the inaugural recipient of the Marin Mazzie Empowerment Award,” Danieley said. “I am certain she will continue down the path of light and love as Marin would have herself.”

“It is honor enough that I had the privilege of experiencing Marin's deep generosity, her vibrant humor, her passionate spirit and incomprehensible strength each performance during her triumphant return to the Broadway stage, her home, in THE KING AND I,” Park said. “As a long-time fan of Marin, I was profoundly in awe to be in her fierce embrace and glow each show. As a cancer survivor, I was immensely humbled and moved that I could be there for Marin as a support during that transitional chapter of her journey. Marin Mazzie has always been breathtaking. So when her dear Jason first asked if I’d accept the inaugural Marin Mazzie Award for Empowerment from the Cancer Support Community, I lost all ability to breathe and had no words. There aren't enough words to express how much this means to me. All I can say is that I will continue to be a champion of life, love and joyful spirit, like my friend Marin.”

About Ashley

Ashley Park is a Tony and Grammy nominated actress who most recently originated and starred in MEAN GIRLS on Broadway as 'Gretchen Wieners' which garnered her a Tony nomination for Featured Actress in a Musical, as well as Drama League, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Chita Rivera Award nominations in 2018. In this same season, she starred in the award winning "KPOP" and was honored with the esteemed Lucille Lortel award for Lead Actress in a Musical, and second Drama League and Drama Desk nominations. She starred as "Tuptim" in Lincoln Center’s Tony-Award Winning revival of The King and I (Grammy nom.), where she had the great delight and honor of working with Marin Mazzie. Other Broadway: Sunday in the Park… (Celeste 1, Dot u/s), Mamma Mia!. Off-Broadway: "Mwe" in KPOP (Lortel Winner; DD & DL nom.). Tour: Cinderella (Gabrielle). She is the proud recipient of Actor Equity Association's 2018 Clarence Derwent Award and a graduate of the University of Michigan. She recently wrapped shooting on the first season of Netflix's highly anticipated TALES OF THE CITY being released in summer 2019.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – (April 4, 2019) – The Cancer Support Community (CSC) will present Incyte with the Founders Award for Innovation at its signature event slated for Tuesday, April 16 at The Lighthouse on Pier 61, part of the acclaimed Chelsea Piers complex on New York City’s Hudson River waterfront.

Incyte’s significant support of CSC’s patient-focused mission includes a myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) awareness campaign, the award-winning Frankly Speaking About Cancer patient education programs, the CancerSupportHelpline® staffed by mental health professionals who field thousands of calls each year, and the policy institute which elevates the voices of patients in health-related debates. In 2018, Incyte’s support paved the way for CSC to create a new digital platform dedicated to MPN patients, caregivers and influencers through its support of “Unlocking Answers in MPN.”

“Incyte is an anchor to the Cancer Support Community – helping us to provide greater knowledge and understanding of the important resources available to cancer patients from prevention to education, social and emotional support, and patient care and advocacy,” said Linda House, president of the Cancer Support Community. “We honor Incyte’s innovation as a tribute to the thousands of patients and caregivers who have benefited from the resources they helped us create.”

“We are grateful to the Cancer Support Community for this recognition and for their partnership to help strengthen patients’ overall wellbeing, especially those living with rare cancers like MPNs who may not otherwise have access to a great deal of resources,” said Hervé Hoppenot, Chief Executive Officer, Incyte. “Incyte believes strongly in the vision of the Cancer Support Community to ensure that people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community.”

The Spring Celebration will benefit CSC’s growing global nonprofit network of 196 locations, including CSC and Gilda's Club centers, hospital and clinic partnerships, and digital resources that provide more than $50 million in free support services to patients and families.

New York, NY – (September 14, 2018) – The Cancer Support Community (CSC), a global nonprofit network, honors the life, contributions, and heroic advocacy efforts of celebrated actress Marin Mazzie, a three-time Tony Award nominee, who died from ovarian cancer yesterday.

As part of the global nonprofit’s policy efforts, Mazzie met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and encouraged other citizens diagnosed with cancer to add their voice to debates over policy affecting patients and caregivers. In addition, she and her husband, Jason Danieley, worked with performance venues to channel proceeds from ticket sales to contribute to CSC’s network of affiliates, hospital and other health-care partners, and online resources that provide $50 million in free services to individuals each year.

“The entire Cancer Support Community mourns the passing of our champion and ally Marin Mazzie,”said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community. “Marin was a relentless advocate for all the work we do to help cancer patients and their loved ones. Our thoughts are with her husband, Jason Danieley, their friends and family, and the entire Broadway community. Her legacy is one of courage and determination—a spirit that will continue to inspire us and all the families affected by cancer who turn to our organizations for support.”

PASADENA, CA – (May 21, 2019) – The inaugural Kathryn West Inspiration Award was presented to Andy Tao and Jeanne Beesley at the finish line of the Amgen Tour of California. The Kathryn West Inspiration Award was established to honor the work of Kathryn West who was the founding leader of Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer®, an initiative that brings awareness of and resources to patients and families impacted by a cancer diagnosis.

Linda House, president of the Cancer Support Community, presented the inaugural Kathryn West Inspiration Award to Andy Tao and Jeanne Beesley for their relentless support and advocacy of patients and caregivers who have been touched by cancer. Tao and Beesley entered their own cancer journey when Tao was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia 20 months ago. Tao and Beesley have been the official photographers for Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® for the past 10 years.

“After learning of her cancer diagnosis in 2016, Kathryn exhibited a combination of passion and strength that was evident in her work,” House said. “In honor of the way she inspired us all, we established the Kathryn West Inspiration Award.”

In addition, Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community, said, “Kathryn may not be here with us physically, but her inspiration flows through champions like Andy Tao and Jeanne Beesley whom we are honored to recognize as the inaugural recipients of this prestigious award.”

“My wife Jeanne and I will do our best to accept and represent this award not for ourselves but for Kathryn and all the people that she helped through the years and all the people that we hope we can help through the years,” Tao said.

“Kathryn West was one of the original co-founders of Breakaway from Cancer® and her vision and tireless commitment for more than a decade were instrumental in the birth and growth of the national initiative. Today, Breakaway from Cancer® has grown into a partnership between Amgen and six independent nonprofit organizations dedicated to empowering patients with education, resources and hope, offering a broad range of services to people affected by cancer,” said Christophe Bourdon, general manager for Amgen’s US Oncology Business. “Kathryn was a true inspiration and her influence will live on through Breakaway and individuals like Andy Tao and Jeanne Beasley who continue in their courageous advocacy for others.”

WASHINGTON – (May 2, 2017) – The Cancer Support Community (CSC), an international nonprofit organization, announces its support for the bipartisan legislation, H.R. 2244, introduced by Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) in the U.S. House of Representatives. CSC commends Congressman Lance and Congresswoman DeGette for their continued leadership and advocacy on patient protection and patient-centered legislation.

The “Patient Experience in Research Act of 2017” (PERA) will launch a voluntary pilot project to evaluate the social and emotional distress experienced by patients participating in a clinical trial of a drug or biological product that is intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition.

There is general agreement in the medical community that clinical trials are the best way to learn what works in treating diseases like cancer. For cancer patients, clinical trials provide them access to new cutting-edge therapies, often the next generation of treatment. This can be a new drug, a combination of drugs, or a different way of using established therapies.

However, according to CSC’s Access to Care in Cancer 2016: Barriers and Challenges report, over 53 percent of surveyed cancer patients did not receive social and emotional support services, including screening for distress as part of their cancer care. Psychosocial distress screening and support is a fundamental element of comprehensive cancer care.

“CSC applauds the vision and leadership to introduce this transformative bill,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community. “Integrating the collection of information about the patient experience into clinical research will ensure that valuable information is shared in a new and meaningful way. As a result, we expect that in the future, doctors will be able to identify patient needs early on and intervene as appropriate, thus making sure that the patient adheres to the recommended treatment protocol in order to achieve the best possible outcome and quality of life.”

“A difficult diagnosis can take its toll on a patient. Information about the patient experience, including the challenges that come with a diagnosis, is needed to help improve the clinical trial process. Many patients are counting on the research and the products that are being developed in promising clinical trials. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with my colleague

Representative DeGette to help measure additional factors so patients and their caregivers have the best research,” said Lance, a member of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.

“I’m pleased to introduce the [PERA] with Congressman Lance," DeGette said. “Like all patients, people participating in clinical trials often experience psychological distress related to their conditions. [PERA] will help ensure that patients stay with clinical trials by testing ways to offer support to those who need it. Robust clinical trial participation is essential to advancing biomedical research. By closing current gaps in care for patients taking part in trials, we can both improve health outcomes and enhance the clinical trial itself.”

In 2013, Lance was honored by CSC’s Cancer Policy Institute with the Public Policy Award for Research for his commitment to health and cancer care issues. DeGette was one of the two original authors of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which allocated $1.8 billion in cancer research funding when it became law in December. CSC is committed to working with members of Congress to build strong bipartisan support for PERA in order to protect cancer patients and their loved ones nationwide.

WASHINGTON, DC — The Cancer Support Community (CSC), a global nonprofit, announced the addition of Susan Ash-Lee, MSW, LCSW to serve as Senior Director, Clinical Services. Ash-Lee will be responsible for all clinical program services, including in-person, telephonic, and digital support, all critical components of the $50 million in free services CSC provides patients and their loved ones each year.

A recipient of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society’s Outstanding Clinician Care Award in 2010, Ash-Lee comes to CSC after serving as the Director of Clinical Social Work at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC), the largest provider of cancer care in that state. RMCC also is one of CSC’s health-care partners, a collaboration that provides patients with the organization’s many support resources as part of their treatment regimen.

“Susan brings tremendous experience to this critical role,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community. “She will work with the licensed professionals at our CSC and Gilda’s Club affiliates, the helpline, and our expanding network of hospital and health-care partners to advance our mission of providing the gold standard in support care for patients and their loved ones.”

Ash-Lee’s role will take her to all 196 locations where CSC programs operate, and she will be based in the CSC office that was established earlier this year when digital nonprofit MyLifeLine.org became part of CSC.

“Joining the Cancer Support Community at a time when the organization is growing is so thrilling,” Ash-Lee said. “My career has been about building robust supportive care oncology programs that integrate research, psychosocial support, and post-treatment survivorship in a way that ensures the best experience for the patient. To build on this work with CSC’s leaders at the global level and in communities with affiliates, hospitals, and health centers is such a privilege.”

Ash-Lee currently serves on the faculty for the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care’s Leadership Institute, psychosocial staff for Casting for Recovery, and is a member of the client services council for Project Angel Heart.

A native Coloradoan, she earned a master’s degree in social work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in English from Westmont College. She is also a licensed clinical social worker in Colorado and California.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - (June 6, 2018) - The Cancer Support Community’s (CSC) board of directors elected two Denver leaders to its national board of directors at its recent meeting in New York.

David Hicks and Lizzy Morton previously served on the board of directors for MyLifeLine.org, a Denver-based digital nonprofit that became part of CSC in January. CSC now maintains an office in Denver from which MyLifeLine Founder Marcia Donziger leads the national organization’s business development and digital strategies operation.

“We know that Denver residents are proud to call their city the Health Tech Hub—and we are thrilled to be a part of this dynamic and growing community,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community. “Now that MyLifeLine is part of CSC, we will combine our organizations’ tremendous assets to create the gold standard in digital support for cancer patients and their loved ones. David and Lizzy were instrumental in making it possible for MyLifeLine to serve thousands of patients and caregivers. As we write the next chapter in innovation, their insight, expertise, and commitment will take us to new levels.”

David Hicks

Retired since 2012, Dave was the Chief Information Officer at HealthGrades, Inc. He currently works as a part-time technology consultant. He graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems.

Elizabeth “Lizzy” Morton

Lizzy Morton is currently the editor of a monthly magazine publication, Cherry Hills Village Living. She previously worked as an attorney for Moye White LLP and Dorsey & Whitney LLP. Lizzy’s practice focused on Intellectual Property litigation and appellate work in the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. She remains a licensed attorney in Colorado, representing clients at structured settlement transfer hearings in district court. Lizzy earned a B.A. in International Studies and Political Science from Rhodes College and a J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law.

Denver-based MyLifeLine.org adds to the global network of 190 service locations, including 47 CSC and Gilda’s Club affiliates, partnerships with hospitals, and educational resources that touch one million people each year. CSC’s role as the leading voice for patients also includes in-depth research and policy.

WASHINGTON, DC — The Cancer Support Community (CSC), an international nonprofit, announced the addition of Kevin Stein, Ph.D., FAPOS to serve as Executive Director of its Research and Training Institute and spearhead the advancement of the organization’s expanding patient-centered initiatives and research.

Dr. Stein is Associate Professor in the Behavioral Sciences and Health Education Department of the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. He worked for the American Cancer Society (ACS) for 17 years, serving as the Director of the Behavioral Research Center and Vice President of Behavioral Research. During his career at ACS, Dr. Stein also oversaw the ACS Study of Cancer Survivors (SCS), a large-scale, population-based, national longitudinal study of quality of life among cancer survivors.

Stein’s work has appeared in more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and scientific journals. The National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute have all funded his research.

“Kevin is a renowned leader whose innovative approach to research will continue to enable us to elevate the voices of cancer patients among the most rigorous, influential forums, publications, and conferences,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of CSC. “We are an organization that is growing on multiple fronts, including in digital services and policy, and Kevin brings a track record of capturing unique patient-centered data that will enables us to improve the lives of individuals affected by cancer.”

Dr. Stein will take the reins of CSC’s Philadelphia-based Research and Training Institute in July. It is the first Institute dedicated to cancer related psychosocial, behavioral and survivorship research and training. The Institute seeks to examine the critical role of emotional and social support, financial burden, and patient navigation in improving the lives of people facing cancer, and to share its findings with the broader cancer community.

“I am thrilled to join the Cancer Support Community and build upon the amazing work the team at the Research and Training Institute has done over the past 10 years,” said Dr. Stein. “Social and emotional factors play an outsized critical role in a cancer patient’s quality of life and we have a responsibility to ensure those factors are not only understood, but also comprehensively addressed as part of a patient’s treatment, care, and survivorship planning.”

Dr. Stein received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Florida and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from the University of South Florida. He completed a three-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Psychosocial Oncology at the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Stein is an active member of the International Psychosocial Oncology Society, American Psychosocial Oncology Society, The International Society of Quality of Life Research, and the Society of Behavioral Medicine. He was elected as a Fellow of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society in 2015.

Cancer Support Community Announces Three New Board Members

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Cancer Support Community (CSC), an international nonprofit organization, is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to its Headquarters Board of Directors: Bjoern Albrecht, Jing Liang, and Lynne O’Brien. The Board provides leadership and guidance for carrying out CSC’s mission to ensure that no one faces cancer alone.

“Bjoern, Jing, and Lynne bring such a diverse set of experiences and insights from the policy world and the private sector,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community. “They’re joining our stellar Board, which is committed to advancing innovative ways to help us serve more patients and their loved ones.”

Bjorn Albrecht

Bjoern Albrecht is a partner at McKinsey & Company, a worldwide management consulting firm. He works with pharmaceutical and biotech companies, health systems, and providers on cancer-related topics. He leads the McKinsey Cancer Center, coordinating all of McKinsey’s work on cancer-related topics globally, and is also a leader in the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Products Practice in Europe. Albrecht manages the annual “McKinsey Cancer Congress Series” Satellite Symposium at the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He holds a Ph.D. in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and a BS in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Hamburg.

Jing Liang

Jing Liang is an entrepreneur and management consultant. He is the co-founder and managing partner of Umbrex, a global community of independent, top-tier management consultants. He also founded and serves as the CEO of Attenua, a biotech developing non-narcotic prescription treatments for chronic cough. He was a co-founder of Storelli Sports, the only brand devoted exclusively to the design and manufacture of head-to-toe soccer protection at every position. He holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics from Johns Hopkins University and a BS in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry from Penn State University.
 

Lynne O'Brien

Lynne O’Brien worked as a Policy Analyst with the White House Cancer Moonshot office under former Vice President Joe Biden. Previously, she worked as director of the Washington Government Affairs Office of DuPont Merck and DuPont Pharmaceuticals, working with members of Congress on issues involving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, tax legislation, and health care reform. She started her career in DC with Williams and Jensen, a lobbying/law firm in Washington, DC, focusing on health care clients. O’Brien is also on the national board of the Leukemia, Lymphoma Society (LLS) and is a trustee of The Potomac School in McLean, Virginia. O'Brien graduated cum laude from Princeton with an A.B. in political science and earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She is also a blood cancer survivor who finished treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2016.

BANFF, CANADA – (Thursday, September 26, 2019) – At a global conference featuring health experts and thought leaders, the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) presented Cancer Support Community CEO Kim Thiboldeaux with its President’s Community Award for Distinguished Contributions to IPOS.

Presented during a plenary session at the IPOS World Congress of Psycho-Oncology and Psychosocial Academy, the President’s Community Award for Distinguished Contributions is an award that is made to an individual, group or organization in the community that, in the opinion of the organization’s board of directors, has made an outstanding contribution of great significance to the Society.

Founded in 1984, IPOS was created to foster international multidisciplinary communication about clinical, educational, and research issues that relate to the subspecialty of psycho-oncology and two primary psychosocial dimensions of cancer: response of patients, families, and staff to cancer and its treatment at all stages; and psychological, social, and behavioral factors that influence tumor progression and survival.

“It is truly an honor to receive this recognition from the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), and I accept on behalf of patients and families who are the inspiration for our work,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community. “IPOS is an inspiring organization that brings together leaders from all corners of the world to advance ideas and policies that benefit individuals affected by cancer. I look forward to continuing to exchange ideas and share experience with fellow IPOS members to ensure that we have a global approach to addressing the needs of patients.”

“Kim Thiboldeaux represents the essence of this prestigious award,” said Maria Die Trill, Ph.D., President, IPOS Board of Directors. “Kim believes the patient’s voice must be at the center of the global conversation about cancer, and she works tirelessly to ensure that conversation is inclusive, robust, and results-oriented. Among her many contributions to our sector, Kim has brought new voices to our convenings and fostered a collaborative spirit that benefits all of us.”

As CEO of CSC, Thiboldeaux oversees all aspects of the organization, including the growing Cancer Policy Institute and Philadelphia-based Research & Training Institute—both of which were part of the IPOS convening’s program.

Elizabeth Franklin, LGSW, ACSW, Executive Director of CSC’s Policy Institute, delivered remarks at the IPOS convening regarding the organization’s CancerSupportSource®, which is a validated, flexible distress-screening program that, when fully implemented, automatically generates reports for clinicians and respondents that include tailored information based on respondents’ identified concerns.

In addition to Franklin’s remarks, CSC presented findings from a study in which its researchers surveyed 3,318 individuals diagnosed with cancer who are enrolled in CSC’s Cancer Experience Registry®. Participants provided demographic, clinical, and cost of care information, and completed the CancerSupportSource’s 25-item distress screening tool that includes 2-item depression risk and 2-item anxiety risk subscales. The study produced the following key findings:

• Higher out-of-pocket costs predict increased concern about health insurance and money worries, which in turn predicts odds of anxiety risk and depression risk
• Postponing psychological counseling to reduce cost of care predicts anxiety and depression risk odds
• The need for doctor-patient cost of care communication and financial counseling to mitigate the impact of financial burden on quality-of-life, treatment, and health outcomes

A full summary of the study is available here.