Clinic team prepares meal for guests at Rosenbaum

Staff at the WVU Cancer Institute Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center go above and beyond to better serve patients. Recently, members of the recruitment and retention team at the Cancer Center rolled up their sleeves in the kitchen at Rosenbaum Family House to prepare a meal for dozens of patients and their family members staying at Family House. The facility is a home away from home for patients who travel 50 miles or more to receive treatment at WVU Medicine or the Cancer Center.

l-r: Amy Gibson, Delores Sobolewski, Savannah Thorn, Larriann Wyda and Linda Gerard

Clinical Trials Research Unit makes donation to benefit cancer patients

Members of WVU’s Clinical Trials Research Unit are helping patients who benefit from the Comfort Fund at the WVU Cancer Institute Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center. During the group’s March Madness contest members decided to donate all of their winnings to the fund and recently presented Mary Anne Yanosik, Cancer Center dietitian, a check totaling $200.

Four receive Crystal Ribbon Award at Cancer Institute Gala

The WVU Cancer Institute 32nd Annual Spring Gala was an opportunity to honor some very special individuals. During an “An Evening of Hope, Innovation and Partnership” Cancer Institute leadership presented the Crystal Ribbon Award to Pam Bakalarski, Greg Darby, Hannah Hazard Jenkins, MD and William Petros, PharmD.
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WVU Cancer Institute releases second edition of The Signature

The second edition of The Signature, the WVU Cancer Institute’s annual report, is posted online. The report covers 2016 highlights in cancer clinical care, prevention and control, education, and research.
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Numerous WVU Medicine/Cancer Institute employees selected as Annual Bravo! award winners

Congratulations to all the WVU Medicine/WVU Cancer Institute employees named 2017 Annual Bravo Award honorees for the 2016 year. The MBR Cancer Center Comfort Fund Team won in the Building a Better Workplace-Team category. Comfort Fund members include Pamela Bunner; Melanie Christopher, RN; Jessica Ford, MSW; Jodi Hall, RN; Kimberly Huffman-Jones, PA-C; Sharon Malone; Joan Naim, RN; Patricia Policicchio, MSW; Tammie Ritenour, RN, BSN; Ryan Shade; Crystal Street; and Mary Anne Yanosik, RD.

Our BMTU won in the Press Ganey Highest Performing Team: Inpatient category. The entire staff and faculty team in BMTU contributed to this award. Four members of the unit’s nursing team, Brigitte Kettering, Dale Childs, Nicole Hilling and Deb Simonsmeier, will represent the BMTU at the upcoming Annual Bravo Awards ceremony in June.

Radiation Therapy-Fairmont won in the Press Ganey Highest Performing Team: Outpatient category. This team is comprised of the following doctors: Ann Morris, Malcolm Mattes and Parvez Shaikh, and the following staff: Heather Swiger, lead radiation therapist; Ashley Miller, radiation therapist; Kerri Roach, radiation therapist; Beverly Heldreth, registration specialist; and Tina Massacci, RN, OCN.
To see the list of 2017 award winners

Cancer Institute seeks teams for Relay For Life

Please consider joining your colleagues in WVU Medicine and the WVU Cancer Institute in forming or joining a team for the 2017 American Cancer Society Monongalia County Relay For Life on June 9 at Westwood Middle School track and field in Morgantown. Our Cancer Institute is the presenting sponsor and we currently have 17 teams formed.

There are three ways to join:

1) Join CANCER CRUSHERS (already formed team)

2) Join the event: Form your own team - Click link, choose "Join this Relay" and follow the registration instructions.

3) Complete the Registration Forms available in Donna Tamasco’s or Annorah Cale’s office and return it to the Cancer Clinic/BMT mail box in Annorah’s office.

Please contact the Cancer Institute’s Dave Staten, team ambassador for this year’s Mon. Co. Relay, with any questions, or call him at 304-598-4500 ext 74520.

Denver Allen named major gifts director

The WVU Foundation has welcomed Denver Allen back as the major gifts director for the WVU Cancer Institute. He is a WVU alum with a degree in physical education and sports management. Denver was most recently the associate vice president for development at the University of Charleston, where he oversaw a campaign to raise $25 million for a student sport and fitness center.

Give Now to WVU Cancer Institute

John Vargo, MD, joins radiation oncology team

John Vargo, MD, a radiation oncologist, has joined the WVU Department of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Vargo earned his medical degree at the WVU School of Medicine. He completed a radiation oncology residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and was an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine before coming to WVU.

May 23	Ask WVU Medicine Community Conversation: “Breast to Brain Cancer: Risks and Research” – 6pm, WVU Health Sciences Center Fukushima Auditorium Speakers: Hannah Hazard-Jenkins and Paul Lockman Read more
May 26-28	Vandalia-Con Mothers of Invention Steampunk Convention – 10A, Parkersburg, all proceeds benefit Bonnie’s Bus More details
June 1-3	TRY THIS for Healthcare Professionals Conference – West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon Register here
June 14	West Virginia Colorectal Cancer Screening Summit 8am - 4pm, Fairmont More information \| Flyer
June 15	Cancer Cell Biology - NIOSH -Special Lecture 12-1pm, HSN Room 2116 Jerrold M. Ward, DVM, PhD, DACVP presents “Comparative Tumor Pathology of Mice and Humans: Are Mice Relevant?”
Aug 11	3rd Annual Breast Cancer Conference Registration details coming soon