Director’s Corner: Director’s Corner: Talk it out: The importance of Cancer Center conversations

Samir N. Khleif, MD
Director, GRU Cancer Center

“A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years mere study of books.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Not every GRU Cancer Center victory is won here.

In fact, more and more happen in public places, places we can educate and engage the public. They happen at street parties and civic meetings. They happen in front of assembled audiences and during ad hoc encounters.

This Saturday alone we will be out and about at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life at Westside High School, the Pink in the Park event at Greenjackets Stadium and the Kinfolks Soul Food Festival at Evans Town Centre Park. Each event represents an opportunity to not only promote the Cancer Center, but to deliver a message of prevention, detection and treatment.

And while these organized events – as well as specific programs such as the recently launched c-CARE – are an important part of our community mission, there is also real power in the impromptu conversations we have all found ourselves in. We are all tied and attached to the Cancer Center, fiscally and philosophically, and it doesn’t matter whether your career is clinical, research or administrative – part of the job description is to help spread the word. So whether discussing prostrate exams on the produce aisle or lung screenings at lunch, each discussion helps the Cancer Center and more importantly, helps address cancer in our shared community.