More than 14,900 attendees joined the biennial meeting of the European CanCer Organization (ECCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in Berlin, Germany from September 20 to 24, 2009. This combined ECCO/ESMO meeting is the largest multidisciplinary cancer congress in Europe and featured the presentation of many significant preclinical and clinical reports with the potential to influence oncology practice across Europe and worldwide. Among the organizing societies for ECCO/ESMO meeting is the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO), the sister society to the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

University of Wisconsin (UW) radiation oncology resident Derek McHaffie, MD, was selected as a recipient of the Breast Cancer Achievement Travel Award to attend the 11th Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium in Chicago, Ill., October 1-4, 2009. Dr. McHaffie was selected based on his interest in the field of breast cancer and the strong support of the UW Department of Human Oncology Residency Program Director Deepak Khuntia, MD.

On August 13, some 75 people gathered in the new UW Radiation Oncology Waiting Room to honor Beverly Palmer. Bev was a courageous cancer patient (four cancers over 20 years) with a phenomenal spirit of giving to others. Through the generosity of close family friends (Richard and Kaye Woltman), a gift was provided to facilitate the dedication and naming of the Beverly Palmer Waiting Room in Radiation Oncology.

Bev was a remarkable woman who touched the hearts of many health care providers across UW. She was an enthusiastic volunteer for the head and neck cancer task force that has been so successful in fundraising for cancer research and patient support over the last year.

Following words of inspiration and praise from Father Ken Klink, husband Gary Palmer, Dr. Anne Traynor, Dr. Paul Harari, and UW Hospital and Clinics CEO Donna Katen-Bahensky, a plaque honoring Bev Palmer was unveiled to formalize the dedication ceremony.

Click link to visualize Palmer dedication plaque and read inscription material:
www.humonc.wisc.edu

The department extends a warm welcome to incoming radiation oncology residents Don Cannon, MD, and Tim Kruser, MD.

Dr. Cannon received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York, N.Y., and his bachelor's degree in physics from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Dr. Kruser received his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, Wis., and his bachelor's degree in molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis.

University of Wisconsin (UW) radiation oncology resident Derek McHaffie, MD, was selected as a recipient of a Radiation Therapy Oncology Group travel award to attend the RTOG semi-annual meeting in Chicago, IL, June 25 – 28, 2009. Dr. McHaffie also received the Ulrich Henschke Award to attend the American Brachytherapy Society 2009 School of GYN Brachytherapy, June 28-29 in Chicago. The school provides training on the fundamentals of brachytherapy for cervical, endometrial, and vaginal cancer by world-renowned experts from the U.S. and France.

Dr. McHaffie received his medical degree from East Tennessee State University College of Medicine and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tennessee.