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Chancellor Don Elliman honored with American Cancer Society Champion of Hope Award

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Written by Anne Button on November 13, 2018

“I love my job. I get to go to work every day surrounded by people who are trying to make the world a better place: to give people life, to give people hope.”

With those words, CU Anschutz Medical Campus Chancellor Don Elliman accepted the American Cancer Society’s Champions of Hope Award on Saturday night, Nov. 10. Elliman was chosen for his distinguished service and leadership, and honored with this TRIBUTE VIDEO.

Dr. Schulick with Chancellor Elliman Chancellor Elliman is congratulated by Richard Schulick, MD, director of the CU Cancer Center, at the ASC Champion of Hope gala.

The Champions of Hope Award recognizes outstanding partners of the American Cancer Society – of which CU Anschutz certainly is one. Since 1955, the Society has funded nearly 200 cancer-related research grants at CU, $31 million worth. Currently, it’s funding 17 multi-year research grants totaling $8.8 million in Colorado, many of which are at CU Anschutz. Elliman thanked the Society for its ongoing support of cancer research.

Speaking of his “belief that we will see more advances in health care in the coming decade than we’ve seen in the last 50 years, maybe longer,” Elliman noted that many of these breakthroughs are likely to be in the area of cancer care and cure. Citing immunology and immunotherapy efforts underway at CU Anschutz, he said “with CAR-T cell and other novel therapeutics, people who have failed all standard therapies and are out of options, have hope, and a good chance to cure. And that’s just one example.”

More than 300 people attended the Champion of Hope gala, held at the EXDO Event Center in Denver’s RiNo Art District. The event highlighted the Society’s accomplishments of the past 100 years as the largest nonprofit funder of cancer research in the United States, and raised more than $209,000 for cancer research in Colorado.

Elliman was quick to note that as much as he appreciated the honor, it was not his alone. CU Anschutz collaborates with cancer organizations, health care facilities, nonprofit organizations, government institutions and corporate sponsors to help achieve the common goal of eliminating cancer.

“I get the plaque,” he said, “but you are the real champions of hope.”

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