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The Office of Cancer Survivorship was established in July of 1996 by the National Cancer Institute in recognition of the large number of individuals now surviving cancer for long periods of time and their unique and poorly understood needs. Since its inception the OCS has spearheaded 2 funding initiatives geared towards the stimulation of research on long term cancer survivorship:
- FY97 Supplements to cooperative agreements- $12 million/year for 2 years that funded 20 of the 39 applications received. These projects consisted of short-term (2-3 year) pilot feasibility studies for research on long term cancer survivorship. Supplements were awarded to existing Cancer Center, Cooperative Group or Cancer Registry grants on merit.
- FY98 RFA for long-term survivorship research 3-million/year for 5 years. Of the 79 applications received, 15 were funded.
From July 1996 through July 1999, Dr. Anna T. Meadows, an internationally recognized pediatric oncologist and pioneer in the field of childhood cancer survivors was appointed to direct the OCS. Dr. Meadows was appointed through an interagency personnel agreement on a part-time basis, and continued to hold appointments at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Dr. Julia H. Rowland assumed the position as full-time Director of the OCS in September, 1999. Dr. Rowland has been actively involved in research, teaching and program development in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer for more than two decades. Immediately prior to her appointment at the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Rowland developed and led the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She served for nine years as Co-Director of this program and as Director of Psycho-Oncology Research in Georgetown University's Department of Psychiatry and the Lombardi Cancer Center.
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