Highlighting Lexington's Local Flair, Markey Hosts Successful Conference for Cancer Communicators
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 27, 2017) – The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center and Markey Cancer Foundation served as hosts for the 2017 annual meeting/conference for the National Association of Cancer Center Development Officers (NACCDO) and the Public Affairs and Marketing (PAMN) Network of National Cancer Centers.
In total, 437 participants representing more than 75 institutions attended this year's conference, marking it as one of the highest-attended conferences since the joint event began in 1987.
The NACCDO/PAMN annual meeting is an opportunity for public relations, marketing, and development professionals who work for major cancer centers to network and learn more from their peers about the best practices for highlighting their center's cancer research and clinical care. Membership is open to cancer centers based in academic medical centers and/or research institutes: members include either National Cancer Institute cancer centers or members of the Association for American Cancer Institutes.
In addition to the nearly four dozen individual sessions for NACCDO or PAMN members, this year's conference featured three plenary sessions: Denise Graveline, public speaking coach and communications consultant who coaches TEDMED and TEDx speakers; neuroscientist Dr. Dan Han and Kentucky Chef Ouita Michel; and a cancer center director's panel featuring Roy Jensen, M.D., director of the University of Kansas Cancer Center; Candace Johnson, Ph.D, president & CEO of Roswell Park Cancer Institute; Patrick Loehrer, M.D., director of the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center; Ed Partridge, M.D., director of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Robert DiPaola, M.D., dean at the UK College of Medicine.
Attendees from across the country also had the opportunity to experience some of the highlights of central Kentucky, including visits to Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Ky., Mt. Brilliant Farm, Keeneland and Town Branch Distillery. Participants also had the option of attending a "Markey patient experience tour" highlighting six of the cancer center's integrative medicine offerings: a cooking demo, art therapy, music therapy, narrative medicine, jin shin jyutsu, hand massage/aromatherapy, and a UK HealthCare Arts in HealthCare tour.
"We were honored to host our fellow cancer center colleagues here in Lexington for this year's conference," said Mike Delzotti, president of the Markey Cancer Foundation. "We enjoyed not only the opportunity to provide valuable education and information for other cancer communicators across the nation, but also the chance to show off some of the things that make Markey, and Kentucky, so special."