June 7, 2007

CONTACT: Olivia Fermano
(215) 349-5653
olivia.fermano@uphs.upenn.edu

Kevin R. Fox, MD, Named First Mariann T. and Robert J. MacDonald
Professor in Breast Cancer Care Excellence

(PHILADELPHIA) — Kevin R. Fox, MD, Medical Director of the Rena Rowan Breast Center at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Mariann T. and Robert J. MacDonald Professorship in Breast Cancer Care Excellence.

“Dr. Fox exemplifies what it means to be a healer and world-class physician,” says Craig B. Thompson, MD, director of the Abramson Cancer Center.  “He is a committed researcher and a dedicated educator, as well as a caring, compassionate clinician, with a record of outstanding academic and clinical performance.”

The professorship was established through a $2 million gift from Mariann T. and Robert J. MacDonald of Naples, FL.  Mrs. MacDonald, a breast cancer survivor and a 13-year patient of the Rena Rowan Breast Center, was the Founder and former Executive Vice President of Operations for Endo Pharmaceuticals. Her husband Robert is the owner of Pieces, Inc., an art and accessory firm based in Naples. “It is a rare honor to give back to an institution that helped to save your life,” said Mrs. MacDonald.  “I couldn’t be more pleased with Kevin’s formal selection as the MacDonald Professor – he’s a part of our family and truly exemplifies breast cancer care excellence.”

“It is an honor to be selected to hold the first MacDonald Professorship,” says Dr. Fox. “The visionary support of the MacDonalds will enable the Abramson Cancer Center to take another significant step toward providing new insights into the cause and treatment of breast cancer, but also help women survive and preserve a quality of life unprecedented in the history of this disease.”

Fox, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, earned his medical degree in 1981 from John Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed his internship and residency at John Hopkins Hospital. He also completed a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the Hospital of the University Pennsylvania. Certified in both Internal Medicine and Hematology/Oncology, Fox is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Fox has published more than 50 journal articles, 50 research abstracts, and 20 book chapters on the treatment of breast and other cancers. In 1997, he received the Donald B. Martin Teaching Service Award from the Department of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Donna McCurdy Housestaff Teaching Award in 2001. In 2002, he was named the I.S. Ravdin Master Clinician for the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Named as one of Philadelphia Magazine’s “Top Docs” since 1993, Fox has been cited as one of “America’s Best Doctors for Cancer” by several national physician surveys, including “Best Doctors in America.”

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The Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) of the University of Pennsylvania is a national leader in cancer research, patient care, and education. The pre-eminent position of the Cancer Center is reflected in its continuous designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute for 30 years, one of 39 such Centers in the United States. The ACC is dedicated to innovative and compassionate cancer care. The clinical program, comprised of a dedicated staff of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, nutritionists and patient care coordinators, currently sees over 50,000 outpatient visits, 3400 inpatient admissions, and provides over 24,000 chemotherapy treatments, and more than 65,000 radiation treatments. Not only is the ACC dedicated to providing state-of-the-art cancer care, the latest forms of cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are available to our patients through clinical themes that developed in the relentless pursuit to eliminate the pain and suffering from cancer. In addition, the ACC is home to the 300 research scientists who work relentlessly to determine the pathogenesis of cancer. Together, the faculty are committed to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. 

PENN Medicine is a $2.9 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and high-quality patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Penn's School of Medicine is ranked #2 in the nation for receipt of NIH research funds; and ranked #3 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report's most recent ranking of top research-oriented medical schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students, the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.

This release is available online at
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/jun07/breast-cancer-professorship.html