FCRC Beyond Blue Spring 2022 - Flipbook - Page 25
Research SPOTLIGHT
Research SPOTLIGHT
THE REPORT
Synthesizing the next steps that resulted from
conversations surrounding the Think Tank, the Path
to a Cure Report outlines a plan and approach to keep
us moving forward. The report highlights critical areas
of research; care for patients; the role of policy;
and the need for addressing the continuum of care —
from prevention to survivorship. It shows gaps and
where the community needs to focus. The Path
to a Cure Report puts our goals into writing, while
keeping the patient at the heart of what we do.
PATH TO A CURE
“You hear about big studies and
what they mean to patients.
What’s so cool about Path to a Cure
is that this is preclinical…this is
before studies actually get made…
and you have all these people in
the same room who are going to
put together these amazing studies.
We’re on the ground floor.”
— Curt Pesmen, stage III survivor
and research advocate
Colorectal cancer can’t be wished away. But it can
be fought — with science, wisdom, and support.
As a community, we are unsatisfied with the lack
of scientific breakthroughs and progress. The overall
survival rate for people with colorectal cancer has
not budged, and the treatment pipeline has stagnated.
24
Lives are on the line, and
we don’t have time to wait.
While the rest of the world has been fighting a pandemic,
Fight Colorectal Cancer has been developing our Path
to a Cure to push the science for colorectal cancer and
strengthen advocacy efforts, keeping patientsʼ real needs
at the core of everything we do.
“The Path to a Cure Report is the first of its kind,
pushing us to collaborate and align our efforts
in all areas of colorectal cancer.”
“As a GI medical oncologist, it’s really nice to see this
holistic, comprehensive plan come together and really
move the needle forward. I feel like I have a good idea
of the medical and scientific gaps we need to fill, but this
plan takes into account things like prevention, diagnosis,
treatment, awareness — even policy. These are all things
that as physicians, we don’t always see or think about.
It’s nice to see one comprehensive document.”
— Chris Lieu, MD
We’re not grasping at straws. We’re not looking at new
shiny things. We’re ready to stick to the plan, so we
can get to better patient outcomes and reduce latestage disease. We’re ready to present the plan, so more
research gets funded and more studies developed.
We won’t stop until we find a cure.
— Anjee Davis, MPPA, President, Fight CRC
“Going through a dedicated process with subject
matter experts to define actionable steps
to a cure is the least we can do for the patient,
survivor, and caregiver community.”
THINK TANK
— Andrea (Andi) Dwyer, lead author of
the Path to a Cure Report and advisor to
Fight CRC Research and Patient Education
In December 2021, we hosted our first Path to a Cure
Think Tank with a group of more than 30 healthcare
leaders, scientists, and patients. A global group of
thought leaders convened to discuss what it’s going
to take to advance colorectal cancer research, and
the role advocacy and policy play. Recognizing that
no single organization or individual can cure colorectal
cancer alone, we agreed: It’s going to take all of us.
We’ve just taken our first few steps along our Path to a Cure,
and we are gearing up for more. Ready to join us?
Learn more and become
a strategic partner at FightCRC.org/Path.
Join the Fight at FIGHTCRC.ORG
25