Ellen Stovall, one of the most respected and knowledgeable cancer advocates in Washington, died Jan. 5, 2016.
The cause of death was a heart attack.
Stovall, 69, was first diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1971. Her disease recurred in 1983. In 2007, she had bilateral mastectomies due to the late effects of the radiation treatment. Her heart disease and chronic pain were also attributed to her original treatment.
“Ellen is a rare transformational figure in cancer care, who saw an enormous unfilled need and led the development of the entire concept of cancer survivorship,” said Norman Coleman, head of the Experimental Therapeutics Section and associate director of the NCI Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, and senior medical advisor at the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
“She recognized her good fortune to have been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease early in the curative era, built on accomplishments from the brilliance of Henry Kaplan, Saul Rosenberg, Vince DeVita and the NCI team, Gianni Bonadonna and others. Despite all the difficulties that resulted from her treatment, she was always grateful for being alive.”
This is an excerpt of an article that was published in full in The Cancer Letter.
