Sharon Gill: 8th Annual West Oncology Conference Will Bring Health Disparities to Forefront of Innovation

The 8th Annual West Oncology Conference, held in partnership between Total Health and the West Cancer Center & Research Institute, will address key topics in oncology that seek to foster improvement in health equity through clinical care, clinical trials, and educational campaigns, said Sharon Gill, MBA, chief visionary officer, Total Health.

Transcript

Can you give a preview of the 8th Annual West Oncology Conference and what attendees can expect to learn at the conference?

Attendees can expect a rich and seamless learning experience that fosters peer-to-peer networking on conversations that will move the needle forward in oncology. As you can see from the West Oncology Conference agenda, I'm actually looking at it now, we're always looking for ways to bring forward disparities in care to the forefront.

I'm looking at a topic, for example here, the Cancer Moonshot and Groundshot: Addressing Inequities in Cancer Care. Total Health is a leading voice in speaking for underrepresented communities with the aim of breaking barriers and creating and improving pathways for patient care.

What are some key trends in oncology and cancer care delivery overall that you hope to see addressed?

What I can’t speak directly to key trends in oncology from an expert perspective, I can speak to them from the perspective of a recently diagnosed woman with breast cancer and a recent survivor. The stats are staggering, Black people are dying at disproportionate rates compared with their White counterparts, and this is a trend in cancer care.

Our mission is to bring disparities in care to the forefront of education. We want to innovate beyond our traditional conference platform—we’re branching into clinical care, clinical trials, and campaigns that will reach underrepresented communities and treat them where they're at. We're using our teaching platform to effect change.