How philanthropy is improving cancer care and oncology research
Following the death of their beloved husband and father, the Eisenberg family established the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation in his honour. This philanthropic organisation funds vital gastrointestinal cancer research, enabling oncologists to better care for their patients. At Northwestern University in the US, Professor Al B. Benson III, Dr Sheetal Kircher and their fellow oncologists are conducting research ranging from lab-based science to investigations of the social problems faced by cancer patients, highlighting the essential role of philanthropy in improving the lives of those living with cancer.
Talk like an oncologist
Gastrointestinal (GI) system — the digestive system, which includes the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum and anus, plus associated organs such as the liver, pancreas, appendix and gallbladder
Oncology — the study, diagnosis and treatment of cancer
Philanthropy — the act of giving money, time or other resources to provide long-term support to important causes
Social determinants of health — social factors that can influence health, such as income, education and environment
Tumour — an abnormal mass of cells
In 1999, Harold Eisenberg passed away after suddenly developing gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. He was a loving husband and a dedicated father to his three children. As a leader in real estate, he believed in sharing his knowledge and experience to enrich and empower students. Shortly after his passing, his family and friends established the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation to celebrate his life and legacy as a mentor. The Foundation has two goals – to fund gastrointestinal cancer research and to support educational initiatives for students.
The Eisenberg family contacted Professor Al Benson, Harold’s oncologist and a researcher at Northwestern University, to determine how they could best support other GI cancer patients. “They wanted to help others by raising funds to support GI cancer research,” says Al. “As GI cancers account for nearly 20% of cancers worldwide, this is a huge area of research.”
What does oncology research involve?
“When you think of research, you might imagine working in a lab to grow cells in petri dishes or test drugs on mice, but there’s a whole spectrum of research out there,” says Dr Sheetal Kircher, who is also a clinical and research oncologist. Oncology research begins with basic science, the foundational research carried out in laboratories. This leads to translational research, where basic science is converted into practical solutions to improve health and save lives, using methods such as clinical trials to test new treatments. “It’s important that we include patients’ voices in translational research,” says Sheetal. “It’s not enough for a drug to stop a tumour from growing – if it harms the patient’s quality of life, it’s not truly effective. We must understand whether the treatment improves the patient’s well-being from their point of view.”
The third key area of oncology research is known as ‘cancer control research’. “This involves analysing population data to improve health services,” says Al. Alongside treating their patients, Al and Sheetal both investigate cancer care delivery. “This involves studying the interplay between the healthcare system, patients and clinicians at different levels to get patients what they need and produce the best outcomes,” explains Sheetal, who is especially interested in the long-term effects of cancer treatment. “For example, I have a patient who had neuroblastoma (nerve cell cancer) as a child,” she recounts. “She is alive and grateful, but as an adult she’s had stomach, breast and skin cancers as a result of her childhood cancer and treatment, and her heart function is decreased. This highlights the importance of understanding health after cancer.”
How is oncology research changing?
Previously, cancers were treated based on where they appeared in the body. But now, with tools such as genetic sequencing and molecular profiling, scientists can identify the specific gene alterations driving the cancer, meaning treatments can be tailored to tackle root causes. “Cancer is incredibly complex,” says Sheetal. “While developing fully individualised treatments will take time, each step forward brings us closer to personalised treatments.”
An equally important topic is cancer control research that investigates how peoples’ lives impact their cancer outcomes. “For a long time, social determinants of health (such as income, education or where someone lives) were seen as less important topics of research,” says Al. “I’m pleased they have now become integral to cancer research, as social determinants have profound impacts on health outcomes.”
Why is philanthropy vital for cancer care and research?
Being diagnosed with cancer is an expensive business. In the US, healthcare costs are typically covered by a combination of health insurance payments and patient payments. Sheetal studies the financial burden on cancer patients, recognising that costs can be daunting and devastating. “The majority of someone’s oncology team is covered by their health insurance,” she explains. “However, many essential supportive services, provided by nutritionists, social workers and nurses, are not reimbursed by health insurance.” As a result, philanthropic organisations that fund cancer care, such as the Eisenberg Foundation, play a vital role in ensuring that patients receive comprehensive high-quality care.
Philanthropy is also vital for social determinants of health research. “Topics like health disparities, access to healthcare and the impact of poverty on health are outside the funding priorities of pharmaceutical companies,” says Sheetal. “That’s why support from mission-driven organisations is so important in helping us explore these critical issues.”
Since 2001, the Eisenberg Foundation has donated over $4 million to advance GI cancer research and patient care. Every year, it supports oncologists at Northwestern University by funding a range of GI cancer research projects. When funding was not available for an oncology nurse to support patients taking part in clinical trials, the Eisenberg Foundation stepped in to fund this vital role. The Foundation supported the establishment of the Harold E. Eisenberg GI Cancer Tissue Bank, a cancer specimen repository used for research and clinical trial purposes. It also funds the OncoSET Program, a personalised medicine programme that studies the biological characteristics of individual tumours, enabling patients to receive drugs which will specifically target their tumour. And junior members of the Eisenberg Foundation create care packages for people who are diagnosed with GI cancer.
Reference
https://doi.org/10.33424/FUTURUM621
In addition, students at Highland Park High School in the north suburbs of Chicago raised $124,000 to support GI cancer research and patient resources at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. This not only informed high school students and staff about GI cancers but also demonstrated how young people can learn about philanthropy, select a worthy cause and become philanthropists themselves.
Today, the Eisenberg family and countless volunteers continue Harold’s legacy. His wife (who had cancer herself and was also Al’s patient), children and grandchildren are steadfast in their support. Thanks to the committed philanthropy of the Eisenberg Foundation, Al, Sheetal and other oncologists can better understand and care for their cancer patients.
Professor Al B. Benson III
Dr Sheetal Kircher
Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA
Field of research: Oncology
Funder: Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation
About oncology
Oncologists study, diagnose and treat cancer. This is a huge area of medicine and research. Cancer can occur in any area of the body and many disciplines (e.g., biology, immunology, biochemistry) and healthcare professions (e.g., doctors, nurses, surgeons, geneticists, supportive care staff) are needed to understand and treat it.
Al and Sheetal both work as clinical oncologists, treating patients with different types of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, and as academic oncologists, conducting cancer control research and studying cancer treatment and clinical trials. “A day in the life of a clinical oncologist involves seeing a lot of patients, and examining their scans and test results,” explains Al. “Research will look different depending on whether you’re in a lab conducting basic science research, conducting clinical trials for translational research, or analysing population data for cancer control research. Oncology research is such a broad area that it can be focused on whatever you find passion in.”
One thing is certain – whichever area of oncology you choose to work in, you will be changing lives. “When I began my career as a clinical oncologist, I realised my focus wasn’t solely on the molecular biology of cancer,” says Sheetal. “What mattered more to me was understanding what my patients were going through. Many were deeply worried about how to afford their care, and that shaped my research interests. I wanted to better understand the financial and personal realities of cancer treatment. As cancer care continues to grow more complex, the question becomes: how do we provide it in a way that is thoughtful, efficient and truly high-quality?”
Pathway from school to oncology
Getting a good foundation in science will be important, regardless of what area of oncology interests you. Build a strong foundation in biology and chemistry at high school and then take courses in anatomy and immunology at university.
“Learn how the health system works in your country,” advises Sheetal. This is likely to be covered in university public health courses.
“Liberal arts subjects are important for understanding social determinants of health,” says Al. Study humanities and social sciences to learn about health disparities and how social factors impact health outcomes.
To become a clinical oncologist, you will need to gain a medical degree at university and then spend additional years training in a hospital.
Look for opportunities to take part in research projects, whether basic science in a lab or social science research.
Contact clinical and research oncologists to ask if you can shadow them to see what their work involves.
Explore careers in oncology
There is a huge range of career opportunities in oncology. Clinical (medical) oncologists diagnose and treat cancer, oncology surgeons operate on patients to remove tumours, and radiation oncologists treat tumours in the body with radiation. Nurses care for patients through all stages of their treatment, while palliative care workers provide support to improve symptoms and provide end-of-life care to help patients be as comfortable as possible. Fertility counsellors support patients who may have fertility issues following cancer treatment, geneticists examine the genetic mutations in tumours, and research oncologists investigate all aspects of cancer biology and care.
Learn more about cancer and careers in oncology from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
Meet Al
I worked as a journalist and editor for my high school and college newspapers. It was a socially turbulent time – I was a senior in high school when Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King were assassinated in 1968, and the reactions to these events had a significant impact on me. The Vietnam War was also happening – increasingly, people were concerned about the horrors of this war and being drafted to fight in a war that did not make sense to them. Along with many others, I was tear-gassed during protests on campus. In our newspapers, we covered everything from these huge political issues to the music scene. For me, it was both an incredible and unsettling time, but it shaped me as a person and helped pave the path to my medical career.
We talk about the science and art of medicine. A lot of what we do is the art, so being a well-rounded person is helpful. As a journalist, I had to collect information from a whole lot of different people and then synthesise this information to write concise and coherent stories. This gave me invaluable experience and taught me good communication skills. In many ways, a physician is telling a patient’s story – they must listen with compassion while they obtain information from the patient about their symptoms, medical history and worries about their illness, then combine this with the scientific results of lab tests to provide the best plan of medical care.
I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a doctor. I still remember one moment as young child: Dr James Holland (considered a pioneer of oncology) and Dr Jimmie Holland (the founder of psycho-oncology) lived in my neighbourhood and their kids went to my school. One day, James brought in rats to show us – they had been exposed to tobacco tar and had tumours on their skin. I’ve wanted to be an oncologist ever since. I would also add that my own paediatrician and my uncle were inspirations fuelling my interest in medicine. And I’ve now been seeing patients for over 50 years!
Meet Sheetal
I was very wild when I was younger – I lived my best life and enjoyed college to the fullest! Although I worked hard at my studies, I had a good balance of work and play.
I was drawn to oncology while studying medicine because it is such an intense and diverse field. I get to work with colleagues from a wide range of different professions, and I get to help people when they are at their most vulnerable.
Caring for patients is truly a blessing and a very humbling experience. Cancer is the great equaliser – it doesn’t care whether you are rich or poor, or what race or gender you are. It brings everyone to the same place of vulnerability and gives them a sense of their own mortality. Some people, like the Eisenberg family, rise to the tragedy and do great things, which is beautiful to see.
Studying and practising medicine is hard work so it’s important to have hobbies – find things that interest you and help you switch off from studying. I try to instil the importance of free time in my kids, especially unscheduled, open-ended time with no commitments, to allow them to relax and think clearly.
Do you have a question for Al and Sheetal?
Write it in the comments box below and Al and Sheetal will get back to you. (Remember, researchers are very busy people, so you may have to wait a few days.)
To emphasise the importance of philanthropic organisations such as the Eisenberg Foundation, learn more about the financial impacts facing people diagnosed with cancer:
futurumcareers.com/financial-toxicity-understanding-the-costs-of-cancer-care
0 Comments