NASHVILLE, TENN (September 10, 2020) – Howard A. “Skip” Burris, III, MD, President of Clinical Operations & Chief Medical Officer for Sarah Cannon, was named an Advocacy Champion by the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) during the association’s 2020 Advocacy Summit in September. Advocacy Champions are ASCO volunteers who have made meaningful contributions to ASCO’s advocacy activities throughout the year to ensure that every patient with cancer has access to high-quality, high-value cancer care, no matter who they are or where they live. Advocates speak with federal lawmakers and agencies, send personalized letters to Members of Congress through ASCO’s ACT Network, engage with state lawmakers on policy priorities at the state-level, and host site visits for lawmakers in their home states and districts.
“Congratulations to this year’s Advocacy Champions. Their continued efforts to educate Congress on the promise and challenges of providing high-quality cancer care are important during the best of times, and they become absolutely critical during a global pandemic,” said ASCO Government Relations Committee Chair Carolyn Hendricks, MD, FASCO. “Through the unwavering commitment of these dedicated advocates, we can continue our work to advance policies that will improve access to high-quality, equitable care for people with cancer.”
Dr. Burris has participated in Cancer Hill Days at both the national and state legislatures, and also met individually with Tennessee’s elected representatives at both levels. In addition, as ASCO President, and now Chair of the Board, he has been involved in many significant ASCO advocacy initiatives and has participated in the Government Relations Committee.
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