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From left to right: Larry Norton, MD, George W. Sledge, MD, Eric Shanteau, Richard Adamonis, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications, NYSE Euronext, Douglas W. Blayney, MD, Lawrence H. Einhorn, MD, Richard L. Schilsky, MD, Joseph S. Bailes, MD, Allen S. Lichter, MD, and Nancy R. Daly, MS, MPH, ringing the Closing Bell on August 19, 2009.
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Eric Shanteau, Dr. Norton, and Dr. Blayney (left to right) inspect the NYSE gold medallion that was given to all attendees of the bell ringing.
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The ASCO Cancer Foundation
® and ASCO joined the ranks of many notable businesses and organizations by ringing the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Closing Bell
® on Wednesday, August 19. The official bell ringing, which is used to signal the start or end of trading for the business day, is a popular marketing platform, offering non-profit organizations like ASCO an opportunity to raise awareness of their mission and work. The bell ringing marked the Foundation’s 10th anniversary and will raise awareness of the need for cancer research funding, improving cancer prevention and patient care through education, and giving patients the best, most reliable cancer information.
Foundation Board of Directors member Lawrence H. Einhorn, MD, rang the bell alongside his patient, Olympic swimmer and testicular cancer survivor Eric Shanteau. Dr. Einhorn is a world-renowned testicular cancer expert who changed the face of the disease through his research and education efforts. In addition to treating Mr. Shanteau, he also led the team of oncologists who treated Lance Armstrong when the celebrated cyclist was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
“This [event] has allowed ASCO—and especially The ASCO Cancer Foundation— to realize a new level of national recognition for our work,” said Dr. Lichter. “Ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange is something every organization covets and few will achieve. We hope to build off this event to carry our oncology messages to a broad audience throughout the country. We are very grateful to Foundation Board member Larry Einhorn, MD, for opening the door for us at the New York Stock Exchange,” he added.
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ASCO founding member Jane C. Wright, MD (seated) talks with NY City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (background), Larry Norton, MD, Mayor Bloomberg (far right), and NYSE attendees.
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Mayor Bloomberg is presented with the 2009 ASCO Public Service Award.
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At a reception following the bell ringing, the Honorable Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, was presented with the 2009 AS CO Public Service award. “This award was established to recognize individuals who, through their advocacy at the legislative and community levels, have increased public awareness about cancer and have had a positive impact on cancer-related policies and programs,” said Dr. Blayney, who presented the award with Dr. Schilsky.
Through his Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use partnerships, grants are being awarded in low- and middleincome countries to deliver high-impact tobacco control interventions. In 2006, Mayor Bloomberg’s $125 million, twoyear contribution more than doubled the global total of private and public donor resources devoted to fighting tobacco use in developing countries, where more than two-thirds of the world’s smokers live. Last year, Mayor Bloomberg and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a commitment of $500 million to the global fight against tobacco use—specifically, to focus on helping governments in developing countries implement proven policies and programs to reduce the use of tobacco products.
“I would like to thank ASCO and The ASCO Cancer Foundation for this honor,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “Our Administration is doing its part by moving beyond responding to illness and disease to actually preventing them. The Foundation, which continues to fund the efforts we need to win this important fight, marked its 10th anniversary today by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. I can’t wait for the day when we ring the closing bell on cancer.”
Other notable speakers at the reception included New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Jane C. Wright, MD, one of the seven founding members of ASCO. In attendance were Foundation Board of Directors sitting members Michael Goldstein, MD; Martin J. Murphy, Jr., MD; Nora Janjan, MD, MPSA; and Sandra Swain, MD; along with Past Chair of the Foundation Board of Directors Dr. Norton.
