The Ruesch Center

Описание: Dr. John L. Marshall, Director of the Ruesch Center, discusses what the Ruesch Center means to him. Since its founding over a decade ago, the Center has made an impact on the lives of GI cancer patients through advocacy, education, investing in research, and serving as a partner in the cancer journey. The center has worked to increase awareness around GI cancers and ensure that needed resources are dedicated for GI cancer research.

Transcript:

In 2009, we were given the car keys, the rights, the privileges to oversee an investment in the future. And we called it the Otto J. Ruesch Center for the Cure of GI Cancers. A lot of people thought we were a little crazy to use the C-word, the cure word, even in our title, but we and others thought it was absolutely the right thing. That is what our patients want. And that is what we come to work every day to try and reach, is a cure for all GI cancers. We knew we had a lot of work ahead of us and we've been at it for over a decade now. And in that decade, we have made significant changes in the lives of our patients, whether it's advocating for them, educating them, helping to fund research for them, or frankly, just giving them a home that they can feel a part of as they journey through their battles with their own individual cancers.

I think one of our biggest missions was to try and increase awareness around GI cancers and the, if you will, imbalance of funding that was out there. And I think clearly we've made that happen, helped others through collaborative efforts. We know we couldn't do it by ourselves. We knew we had to work with others. And so we've been so lucky to find really the national leaders in patient advocacy across GI cancers, and our university and MedStar have given us every opportunity to provide the services that we are giving to our patients. And so what does the Ruesch Center mean to me? It means hope for the future. It means work today that is having a meaningful impact on our patients today. And it's really that vision and that shared vision among our work family that really defines the Ruesch Center and where we go next.