National Patient Support & Advocacy

The Chris Elliott Fund’s work and service spans across the country. This March, Chris Elliott Fund’s President and CEO took flight again to meet, speak and sit down with experts in the healthcare industry to advocate for brain cancer patients. Here is a snapshot into the travels of Dellann and all of her hard work advocating for cancer patients.

Meeting with Long-time Friend and Brain Cancer Expert Dr. Patrick Wen

Since 2001, Dr. Patrick Wen has worked with CEF President and CEO Dellann Elliott Mydland and the Chris Elliott Fund. Dr. Wen has been instrumental to brain cancer research, translational research and clinical trials for over 11 years while working closely with the Chris Elliott Fund’s paitent support initiatives. Dr. Wen also participated in last year’s Chris Elliott Fund Brains Matter Patient & Caregiver Conference & Awareness Day.

Not only is Dr Wen, Director of the Nuero-Oncology unit at Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Professor of Neurology at Harvard and board member of Chris Elliott Fund’s medical advisory board, Dellann considers him a great partner in her efforts to end brain cancer. Dellann made a stop at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) to discuss patient cases and begin planning the mini-conference CEF is hosting along with Celldex, Novocure and Genentech on July 28^th at the DFCI. Stay tuned to our events page for more information on this summer’s patient conference as well as how you and your company can engage in sponsorship/underwriting opportunities.

Thank you for all of your hard work Dr. Wen!  

Foundation Medicine Site-Visit in Seattle

Deborah Morosini, the Vice President of Clinical Development at Foundation Medicine was in Seattle in March and Dellann Elliott Mydland, CEF President and CEO invited Deborah to the Chris Elliott Fund Patient Support Services Center.

The Chris Elliott Fund staff sat down to talk with Deborah Morosini (whom Dellann met during her first trip of the year) to speak to staff on expanding brain cancer patient support. Deborah is a passionate advocate serving several different disease types and injuries, continuing the legacy of the Reeve family.

Deborah offered to the Chris Elliott Fund staff several great examples of Foundation Medicine’s positive impact. She shared specific questions patients should know to request of their doctor before surgery, specifically related to tumor testing. Deborah is pictured (right) with Dellann Elliott Mydland at the Foundation Medicine headquarters in Boston, MA. If you would like more information about this test please call or email the Chris Elliott Fund today and also view Foundation Medicine’s video on Cancer & the FoundationOne Test.

National Patient Advocate: Working with Patients, Meeting You Where You Are

The Chris Elliott Fund is committed to turning no patient away, no matter where or what circumstance. A perfect example of this in action is Dellann’s commitment to new patients on the east coast. While spending time meeting with experts in the healthcare industry Dellann took time to sit down with brain cancer and brain tumor patients in Boston, New York and New Jersey that sought out the Chris Elliott Fund’s help.

New Clinical Trials Around The Country

Tocagen

While in California, Dellann sat down with Product Manager & Head of Business development Nick Boyle, as well as Dan Pertschuk, MD/VP Clinical Development at Tocagen. Tocagen is an innovative biopharmaceutical company finding treatment for cancer using selective immunotherapy products (a type of treatment that has potential to be highly effective with much fewer side effects compared to conventional cancer treatments like chemo and radiation).

The Chris Elliott Fund was at the annual Society for Neuro-Oncology meeting and conference where Tocagen presented their impressive findings on their open clinical trials.

They just recently announced the next step in their clinical trials, intravenous delivery of the Toca treatment and they shared that they are presently seeking a larger population to enroll in their clinical trials, in locations across the country. We at the Chris Elliott Fund are excited to help grow their study sample.

About the study: Tocagen is conducting 3 studies of the Toca 511 and Toca FC at select neuro-oncology centers in the US. Full detail about the clinical trial offerings were published on the Chris Elliott Fund blog but you can always call, email or stop by our offices to receive a free consultation on enrolling in clinical trials. Call or contact us today.

Read more about these and other clinical trials on our blog announcement. 

University of California, San Diego Clinical Trial Openings

While in California Dellann also sat down with long-time CEF supporter and UCSD brain cancer expert Dr. Santosh Kesari. Dellann typically meets with Dr. Kesari at the Moores Cancer Center/UCSD as she realizes CEFs responsibility in being able to talk to patients about advanced treatment options and is always seeking new options for patients. Offerings for Candidates at UCSD include trials for:

1. Newly Diagnosed
2. Recurrent
3. Metastatic
4. Nontherapeutic Trials

In total the University of California, San Diego is enrolling in 19 clinical trials for a range of patient types. Full detail about the clinical trials were published on the Chris Elliott Fund blog (a downloadable pdf of UCSD offerings can be found on our website:download here), but you can always call, email or stop by our Brain Tumor Patient Support Services & Call Center in Redmond, WA to receive a free consultation on enrolling in clinical trials.

Read more about these and other clinical trials on our blog announcement. 

Chris Elliott Fund’s National Advocacy is made possible by: Celldex, Genentech and Novocure