The Cure: My Cause. Our Future.

Last night, the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center hosted our Young Supporters Board for an orientation session to begin the new year. This meeting was a chance not only for the new board members, but also the existing members to learn more about the Cancer Center’s mission and the work we do. This group of young men and women, under the leadership of President Sam Todd, has adopted this theme: “The Cure: My Cause. Our Future.”

It was really amazing to look out at these young men and women, all eager to join the fight to eliminate cancer as a major public health problem. And the truth is that they will likely live to see this vision come true.

Based on what we have already discovered – and what will be discovered in the next several decades, there is little doubt that cancer will be conquered in this century. It will not be eliminated like smallpox, as cancer is a much more complex disease, but its impact on society will be reduced such that it is no longer a major public health problem.

The only question that is still outstanding is how early in this century will this occur. If we accelerate the delivery of what we already know that prevents cancer deaths as well as our discovery process by devoting more resources to research, this will become a reality sooner rather than later.

I thank the Young Supporters Board for their involvement. Their support and commitment is critical to our success.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.



Young Supporters Board members at Fiesta Ball 2010.