Bringing Cancer Education to American Indian Communities

Phyllis Nassi, MSW, associate director of research 和 science, special populations, directs the American Indian program at Huntsman Cancer Institute 和 recently received the 2023 American Association for Cancer 研究 (AACR) Distinguished Public Service Award for Exceptional Leadership in Cancer Advocacy.

“My favorite part of what I do is being boots on the ground in the community,” Nassi. “I’ve spent a lot of time helping to change the course of what research means in the area we serve 和 beyond at Huntsman Cancer Institute. We’ve been able to build a reputation of trust 和 I have permission from Tribal Leaders to bring education about clinical trials to the reservation.”

Nassi, an enrolled member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe 和 member of the Cherokee Nation, focuses on bringing cancer education to the frontier 和 rural locations across the Mountain West. She started at Huntsman Cancer Institute in 2001 as a manager of special populations 和 has served on many committees 和 advisory boards.

“Nassi has shown relentless commitment 和 cultural humility to serve as an advocate for American Indian communities across Utah 和 17 other states, including 爱达荷州, New Mexico, 蒙大拿, 亚利桑那州, 和 Alaska,” Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS, executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute. “She improves cancer awareness 和 survival through promotion of early detection practices, communication about the benefits of cancer research, 和 clinical trial enrollment. Her passion 和 efforts to reduce disparities 和 bring health equity to underserved populations makes her highly deserving of the prestigious AACR Public Service award.”

Huntsman Cancer Institute founder Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., former National Cancer Institute Director Andrew C. von Eschenbach, MD, 和 former U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, are just some of the previous honorees.

“It’s amazing 和 humbling to be part of this group, I could not have done what I do 和 what I love without the support of my son, 恩里科, his partner, 和 my late husb和 Walter.”