image: Dan Von Hoff, MD, pictured in the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, will be honored at the 2010 Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation Honor Ball. view more
Credit: Scottsdale Healthcare
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Dec. 9, 2009) – Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation announced today that Daniel Von Hoff, MD will be Honoree at its 34th annual Honor Ball. Dr. Von Hoff, an oncologist and chief scientific officer at Scottsdale Healthcare's Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center, is known worldwide for his groundbreaking cancer research.
One of Arizona's most elegant and exciting black tie events, The Honor Ball will be held Saturday evening, Feb. 6, 2010 in The Phoenician Resort Grand Ballroom. Proceeds from the event will benefit cancer research and treatment at Scottsdale Healthcare's Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center.
Dr. Von Hoff is internationally known for his research in pancreatic, basal cell and other cancers. His findings have been published in the prestigious in the New England Journal of Medicine, most recently for a breakthrough in treating advanced basal cell carcinoma led by Dr. Von Hoff and his team in the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare.
An advocate of targeted therapy known as precision oncology, Dr. Von Hoff is co-leader of the Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) Pancreatic Cancer Dream Team, created with an $18 million grant from the Entertainment Industry Foundation to investigate new approaches for treating pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare offers cancer diagnosis, treatment, research, prevention and support services in its facilities at the Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center, attracting patients from across Arizona and the U.S.
"I'm humbled to be selected as the Honor Ball Honoree this year, but glad that the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center has been selected as beneficiary. The team works so hard to bring comfort to our patients, and we know we have a very special place here," said Dr. Von Hoff. "We promise you that we will do everything in our power, with your help, to make a dent against this disease."
In his dual roles at Scottsdale Healthcare and as physician-in-chief at Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Dr. Von Hoff leads a team of world-class cancer researchers in the TGen Clinical Research Services at Scottsdale Healthcare (TCRS) clinic in the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center.
Several studies conducted at Scottsdale Healthcare have yielded promising results to advance the battle against cancer. Skin, lung and pancreatic cancer clinical trials conducted at Scottsdale Healthcare have been the subject of scientific papers and presentations at recent international cancer conferences.
New drugs and therapies studied here are the first step from the research lab to cancer patients. Successful results may lead to eventual approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to become standard treatment. Clinical trials in the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center are administered by the Scottsdale Clinical Research Institute.
TCRS is a partnership of the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Scottsdale Healthcare. The partnership allows molecular and genomic discoveries made by TGen and others around the world to reach patients in the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare as quickly as possible through clinical trials with agents directed at specific targets in patients' tumors.
"Cancer patients in our community have access to this ground-breaking, world-class research right in their own backyard," said Mark Slater, PhD, vice president of research at Scottsdale Healthcare. "Our goal is reducing the time it takes to get new treatment discoveries from the research lab to the patient, and we are pleased that proceeds from The Honor Ball will support this important work."
The Honor Ball has raised more than $8 million through individual and corporate donations to benefit Scottsdale Healthcare.
"Dr. Von Hoff is a world-renowned cancer researcher and the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare has gained an outstanding reputation as 'the place to be treated' for cancer patients," said 2010 Honor Ball Chair Sandy Trznadel.
"Healing and hope come together here" she added. "Staff at the cancer center like to say, 'we take your fight with cancer personally.' With the support of the Honor Ball, the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare will continue to grow and achieve great milestones."
Scottsdale Healthcare (ww.shc.org) is the not-for-profit parent organization of Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Hospital, Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center, Scottsdale Healthcare Clinical Research Institute, Scottsdale Healthcare Home Health Services, Scottsdale Healthcare Community Health Services and NOAH Clinics. Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Scottsdale Healthcare.
About Dr. Daniel Von Hoff
In addition to his positions at Scottsdale Healthcare and TGen, Dr. Von Hoff is chief scientific officer for US Oncology, and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona.
His major interest is in the development of new anticancer agents. Dr. Von Hoff's work focuses on the development of molecularly targeted therapies for patients with pancreatic and other advanced cancers.
Dr. Von Hoff is serving a six-year term on the National Cancer Advisory Board and has served on the FDA's Oncology Advisory Committee.
He is a past president of the American Association for Cancer Research, the largest cancer research organization in the world dedicated to the prevention and cure of cancer. He was on the AACR and the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Board of Directors, and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.