News from the Department of Medicine

24th Annual Women's Health & Cancer Conference Takes Place Virtually Oct. 1

September 28, 2021 by Katherine Strotmeyer

The University of Vermont Cancer Center hosted the 24th annual Women’s Health and Cancer Conference on October 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The virtual event, which was free and open to the public, was sponsored by the Victoria Buffum Fund with an aim to empower and support individuals and communities with knowledge about cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship.

The University of Vermont Cancer Center hosted the 24th annual Women’s Health and Cancer Conference on October 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The conference provided access to the latest, evidence-based information about cancer prevention and detection; treatment options across a range of cancers; and information about support and wellness options to enhance survivorship.

The virtual event, which was free and open to the public, was sponsored by the Victoria Buffum Fund with an aim to empower and support individuals and communities with knowledge about cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship. 

Highlights of the conference’s program included:

  • A COVID-19 update by Mark Levine, M.D., commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health. Levine also drew connections between COVID-19 and cancer and discussed the Vermont Cancer Plan.
  • A keynote presentation, titled “The Financial Costs and Burden of Breast Cancer Care,” presented by Rachel Greenup, M.D., a surgical oncologist at The Breast Center at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale University.
  • An update on “Harnessing the Immune System to Fight Cancer,” presented by Shahid Ahmed, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and a medical oncologist at the UVM Larner College of Medicine and UVM Medical Center.
  • A talk, titled “Health Disparities in Cancer Prevention, Screening and Survivorship,” by Electra Paskett, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and cancer researcher at Ohio State University.
  • A session on "Provider Burnout," presented by James Ulager, M.D., assistant professor of family medicine at UVM's Larner College of Medicine.
  • Information on "Complementary and Integrative Health and Cancer," presented by Amy Littlefield, M.D., who specializes in integrative oncology.

“The UVM Cancer Center is committed to serving the Vermont community,” said Randall Holcombe, M.D., M.B.A., the Center’s director. “The Women’s Health and Cancer Conference is a good example of the kind of outreach that is at the heart of our mission. We hope many community members and health care providers will be able to attend and access the information, support and insight it offers.”