Professor Rolf A. Stahel, Professor Peter Boyle and Dr. Josep Taberno.
Dr. Peter Boyle, of the University of Stathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, keynote speaker at our Amsterdam Conference 2014, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) in October 2014, recognizing his long-standing contributions to cancer epidemiology, education and prevention.
from the ESMO Congress news:
At yesterday’s opening session, in front of a large crowd, internationally renowned epidemiologist Professor Peter Boyle from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK, stepped up to receive the ESMO Lifetime Achievement Award.
Chair of the ESMO Fellowship and Award Committee Dr. Josep Taberno from Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain, presented the award, which commends Professor Boyle’s long-standing contribution to cancer epidemiology, education, and prevention.
Dr. Taberno described Professor Boyle as “a global reference in cancer education and prevention, whose exceptional expertise is continuously called upon by policy makers, scientific societies, academies, foundations, and patient advocacy groups.”
In 2006 Professor Boyle became the first non-medical oncologist to be elected to full ESMO membership. Since then he has edited international cancer reports and led a project to coordinate the European Parliament’s cancer research. Today, among his many roles, he works as a Professor of Global Public Health and President of the World Prevention Alliance — an initiative that he founded.
Although the award recognizes a lifetime’s work, Professor Boyle considers his work to be far from over. Looking to the future he wants to tackle the dramatic difference in cancer care between rich and poor countries, a goal he shares with ESMO. He explained, “If I could use this award for just one thing, it would be to draw attention to this disparity and address it with conclusive action.”
If anyone can handle such a task, surely it will be Professor Boyle. As Taberno said, “Peter’s dedication, his ability to engage us all in ultimately reversing the many disparities that exist in access to optimal cancer treatment and care across borders, make him so particularly deserving of this award.”
In thanking the congress, Professor Boyle stated, “I am honoured, both for myself and for my discipline. To be recognized for my contributions to oncology motivates me to redouble my efforts.”