Conquer Cancer Foundation/Anna Braglia Endowed Young Investigator Award (YIA) in Cancer Supportive Care, supported by Helsinn, awarded to Dr. Allison Barz Leahy, MD, University of Pennsylvania
Lugano, Switzerland, June 1, 2019 – Helsinn, the Swiss pharmaceutical group focused on building quality cancer care products, in conjunction with the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), today announces Allison Barz Leahy, MD, University of Pennsylvania, as the recipient of the Anna Braglia Endowed Young Investigator Award in Cancer Supportive Care for 2019.
Conquer Cancer’s Young Investigator Award (YIA) funds physicians who are in the final years of training to aid their transition from a fellowship program to a faculty appointment. The YIA is a one-year $50,000 grant that aims to promote quality research in clinical oncology.
The recipient of this endowed YIA, Dr. Allison B. Leahy, received her medical degree from SUNY Upstate College of Medicine. She completed her Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Dr. Leahy is a recent alumna of the Pediatric Hospital Epidemiology and Outcomes Research Training program managed by the Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness at CHOP and is currently finishing her thesis work for her Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Leahy’s clinical interests include investigating the benefits and barriers of using patient-reported symptom monitoring for children with cancer in an attempt to examine the impact of this type of monitoring on the quality of life, hospitalization rate and illness severity in childhood cancer. Dr. Leahy’s YIA project is entitled Symptom monitoring using patient-reported outcomes in newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients.
Established in 2016, the endowed YIA honors the life of Anna Braglia, the wife of Helsinn Group Founder and Chairman Gabriele Braglia and mother of Helsinn Group Vice Chairman and CEO Riccardo Braglia, who passed away in 2015. Helsinn endowed this award, which is part of Conquer Cancer’s ’s Grants and Award’s Program, to encourage more aspiring physicians to move into all areas of oncology by supporting them as they move from academia into research.
Riccardo Braglia, Helsinn Group Vice Chairman and CEO, commented: “Dr. Allison Leahy is an exceptional candidate for this award. Her work on patient-reported outcomes in childhood cancer has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life for cancer care in children. At Helsinn, we strive to improve the standard of living for individuals with cancer. Dr. Leahy’s work aligns with our goals and visions to put the patient at the heart of the approach cancer care and we are delighted to be able to support her invaluable work. We wish Dr. Leahy the best with her project”
Dr. Allison B. Leahy, said: " I am greatly honored to receive the Anna Braglia Endowed Young Investigator Award in Cancer Supportive Care. This award will provide invaluable resources for the investigation of the use of patient-reported symptom monitoring in pediatric oncology care. Determining how best to incorporate the child’s voice into their medical care is essential – and we are hopeful that this work lay the necessary groundwork to enhance communication with the treating team, increase patient and family engagement in care, and ultimately lead to better clinical outcomes for children undergoing treatment for cancer.”
About the Helsinn Group
Helsinn is a privately-owned pharmaceutical group with an extensive portfolio of marketed cancer care products and a robust drug development pipeline. Since 1976, Helsinn has been improving the everyday lives of patients, guided by core family values of respect, integrity and quality. The Group works across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and nutritional supplements and has expertise in research, development, manufacture and the commercialization of therapeutic and supportive care products for cancer, pain and inflammation and gastroenterology. In 2016, Helsinn created the Helsinn Investment Fund to support early-stage investment opportunities in areas of unmet patient need. The company is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, with operating subsidiaries in Switzerland, Ireland and the U.S., a representative office in China as well as a product presence in approximately 190 countries globally.
About Conquer Cancer
Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, funds research into every facet of cancer to
benefit every patient, everywhere. In 1964, seven oncologists created the American
Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), now a global network of nearly 45,000 cancer
professionals. As ASCO’s foundation, Conquer Cancer helps turn science into a sigh
of relief for patients around the world by supporting groundbreaking research and
education across cancer’s full continuum.
For more information, visit CONQUER.ORG.
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