The last newsletter was in the Spring of 2013 and at that time our name was the Gynecologic Oncology Group. Much has changed since 2013 and the purpose of this Newsletter is to try to provide an update. Just seven years ago, the GOG was working through the consolidation and creation of NRG Oncology and dealing with the dissatisfaction of the mandate to move from ten to five cooperative groups. Dr. DiSaia remarked in the spring newsletter:
“From now until March 1, 2014 and thereafter, our members will need to adapt to a changing environment that includes less money and fewer protocols from the NCI, CTEP, and DCP. There will be a shift among the approved protocols from a preponderance of Phase III studies, to larger Phase II studies. In addition, as we go forward there will be more Industry-only studies, so our group portfolio will be very different from 10-15 years ago. I believe this is a challenge that we can meet and succeed. Our Group’s strength lies with the esprit de corps among our members. We have demonstrated over the years that our members are the only individuals who can successfully complete credible studies in gynecologic cancers – our “ace in the hole.” If you want studies in gynecologic cancers well-executed, there is only one resource GOG/NRG Oncology”.
Seven years later, his statement could not hold more truth. We did MEET and SUCCEED with this challenge.
In those short seven years, the leaders of The GOG Foundation, Inc. and GOG Partners have collaborated with Industry to successfully engage in 34 clinical trials, two of which have been completed. While our CTEP-supported activity was reduced with the formation of NRG Oncology, there remains a continuation of important studies through NRG Oncology. While there has been much change in those seven years, the past year has been laden with significant challenges – social unrest, a global pandemic, and continuing issues related to social inequality, and injustice. What has not changed, however, is the attention to patient care and the positive impact your work through clinical research has on women through the prevention and treatment of gynecologic malignancies. The GOG Foundation, Inc., and the work we are accomplishing through both NRG Oncology and the GOG Partners Program is expanding our reach through clinical trials. I wanted to take a moment to recognize the hard work of our staff and our investigators.
The GOG Foundation, Inc. has forty-two (42) employees working to maintain the highest standards in clinical trials development, execution, and distribution of results. Our staff has been fantastic as we have expanded our portfolio. I want to recognize a few of the individuals that work tireless hours to ensure the success of these trials. Please feel free to reach out to these individuals on an as needed basis. They are:
The Operations Team
Laura Reese, BSN JD, Executive Director of Operations
Jennifer Klein, MEd, CCRP, Director, GOG Partners Protocol & Regulatory Compliance
Katie Campbell-Simms, Director, Clinical Trials Management
The Finance and IT Team
Mary Sharp, Chief Financial Officer
Nicole LaMack, Director of Contracts/Budgets
Josh Killion, Director of Information Technology
Communications Team
Jenna Cummins, Director of Communications & Industry Relations
(Our latest addition and I am sure many of you remember Jenna from her days with the SGO)
Legal Counsel
Michael Powers, General Counsel,
We will continue to keep you informed through our website, social media sites and this newsletter, currently scheduled to be shared on a quarterly basis. As I close out our first newsletter in seven years, I have a request. I would love to hear from you! If you have suggestions for future communications, please reach out to Jenna Cummins at jcummins@gog.org. We also ask that you follow us on all our social sites, just click the social icons at the bottom of our site to be directed to the social media sites.
Click here to download a PDF copy of the GOG Partners Connection newsletter that this message was included.