Braintree woman to review American Cancer Society research grants

Susan Clawson of Braintree is one of 17 individuals with a strong personal interest in cancer chosen nationally to participate in the American Cancer Society’s research grants peer review process for 2017. Called stakeholders, volunteers like Clawson have been part of the Society’s grant review process since 1999, bring input from lay people and other external audiences as the Society makes research funding decisions.

Clawson has given her time to the Society in many ways for years. She currently is the Territory Lead Volunteer Support for the Northeast and an Event Leadership Team member for Relay For Life of Braintree Milton Randolph. This September, she participated in the second annual Pulling For Hope of Boston as the team captain for Relayers On the Runway in the distinctive plane pull fundraiser.

Clawson is an ardent Society supporter because she has lost too many family and friends to cancer. Her employer, Braintree Cooperative Bank, where Clawson is the assistant treasurer, is a long time corporate sponsor of Relay For Life and is very supportive of employees' volunteerism.

“I am not shy when it comes to sharing my passion for the work of the American Cancer Society,” said Clawson. “I share the Society’s vision for a world free from the pain and suffering of cancer. I will lend my time and insight in any way I am able to help make this dream a reality. I’m proud to represent the New England Division as a Stakeholder.”

Stakeholders, who may or may not have formal science or oncology training, have a strong personal interest in cancer research. Many have a personal connection to the disease, such as having had a family member with cancer, having acted as a caregiver, or having had a personal battle with the disease. Their participation brings an important real-world perspective to the grant review process. Stakeholders join clinicians, researchers, and other scientists for a two-year term to help decide which of the more than 1,700 applications received each year are worthy of funding. Stakeholders are recruited from around the United States to be trained and assigned to one or more of the approximately 20 peer review committees in the Society’s Extramural Grants Division. In addition to stakeholders, each committee includes five to 20 researchers, clinicians, and other experts. Together, the review committees identify the most outstanding applications for funding.

“These stakeholders enhance the peer review process by assuring a full discussion of the relevance of each grant application and how it will contribute to the advancement of cancer control,” said William C. Chambers, Ph.D., the Society’s senior vice president of extramural research. “Their participation means that every one of the hundreds of research proposals we review twice a year is considered not only by scientists, but by others who have been affected by cancer.”

Learn more about the Stakeholder program, including how to apply, at http://www.cancer.org/stakeholders, or email joseph.cotter@cancer.org. The next Stakeholder nomination period for 2018 opens in July 2017.

About The American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 2.5 million volunteers saving lives and fighting for those who are threatened by every cancer in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 22 percent decline in cancer death rates in the US during the past two decades, and a 50 percent drop in smoking rates. Thanks in part to our progress, nearly 14.5 million Americans who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be able to celebrate life this year. We're determined to finish the fight against cancer. As the nation's largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, we're finding cures and ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, clean air, and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, visit cancer.org or call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345.