Highlights and Accomplishments
Volumes
- About 400 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in Georgia. Founded in 2001, the Aflac Cancer Center’s Cancer Survivor program follows more than 1,000 cancer survivors who are at least two years off therapy.
Cancer Survivorship Program Highlights
- Our staff is actively involved in the Children's Oncology Group Survivorship Working Group and actively contributed to the Long-term Follow-up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers
- The Aflac Cancer Center is one of 26 sites in the country participating in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS). This important initiative examines late effects of cancer treatment.
- The Aflac Cancer Center is a member of a five center consortium for interventional research. This consortium is designed to promote the conduct of interventional research in the areas of supportive care, health promotion/screening, health status, health behaviors and chemo prevention.
Awards and Recognition
- In 2008, Lillian R. Meacham, M.D., Director, Cancer Survivor Program, was awarded a grant from the Lance Armstrong Foundation to promote education of healthcare professionals in Georgia on pediatric cancer survivor long-term follow-up care
- In 2008, Ann C. Mertens, Ph.D., Director, Clinical Research, was awarded a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to develop an information technology network for Georgia to support pediatric cancer survivor healthcare
- In 2007, Ann C. Mertens, Ph.D. was selected by the Georgia Cancer Coalition as a scholar to the Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists program within Georgia
- In 2006, Lillian R. Meacham, M.D. was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Georgia Cancer Coalition to offer expanded childhood cancer survivorship services throughout Georgia, with a focus on Columbus, Macon, Augusta and Savannah
- In 2006, Lillian R. Meacham, M.D. was awarded a grant from the Lance Armstrong Foundation to evaluate male health within the CCSS study
- In 2004, Karen Wasilewski-Masker, M.D. was awarded the first national Children's Oncology Group Aflac Young Investigator Award in Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology
Physician Leadership Impact
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Lillian R. Meacham, M.D., Director, Cancer Survivor program, is a national leader in the area of childhood cancer survivorship, serving as a member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Survivorship Working Group, co-chair of the COG Endocrine Taskforce for the COG Long-term Follow-up Guidelines and principal investigator for Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS).
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Lillian R. Meacham, M.D. is institutional investigator and Ann C. Mertens, Ph.D., Director, Clinical Research is co-investigator in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS). In addition, Dr. Mertens was selected by the Georgia Cancer Coalition to receive a major grant through their Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists Program.