The Cancer Vaccine Institute has launched a Patient Advisory Council as part of our efforts to increase patient engagement and education. We are so grateful for everyone who has participated in our clinical trials and supported CVI’s quest to end cancer. The CVI would like to build a strong community of patients, survivors, clinicians, and scientists by maintaining connections with participants well after they have completed their studies. We believe that having a Patient Advisory Council will help us incorporate the unique perspective of our clinical trial participants and give us guidance to improve the journey for our patients in the future.
"I participated in a clinical trial because it was a shot at extending my life - a bucket of hope when I had no hope. The vaccine seemed like a nontoxic alternative to other treatments."
Our council is made up of seven CVI trial participants, who are experienced in patient advocacy through other organizations such as Wings of Karen, Cierra Sisters, Stand Up to Cancer, HER2Support.org, Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance and HERA Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Under the guidance of our Council, we will create patient education and engagement activities that allow us to share updates on research, provide a platform for participants to share their stories, and connect with one another and CVI research teams. We’re excited to start the planning for our first CVI Patient Reunion Event and will share more details as they become available. Through increased engagement with trial participants, we hope to continue our sharp focus on our patient-centric research approach.
Council Members:
Kristi Blair Wings of Karen
Jamie Crase Stand Up 2 Cancer
Kim Czepiga CVI Supporter
Bridget Hempstead Cierra Sisters
Stephanie Ninaud HER2Support.org
Teri Pollastro Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance
Kim Polk HERA