Bringing Cancer Education to American Indian Communities

Newswise — Phyllis Nassi, MSW, associate director of research and science, special populations, directs the American Indian program at Huntsman Cancer Institute and recently received the 2023 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Distinguished Public Service Award for Exceptional Leadership in Cancer Advocacy. ­

“My favorite part of what I do is being boots on the ground in the community,” says Nassi. “I’ve spent a lot of time helping to change the course of what research means in the area we serve and beyond at Huntsman Cancer Institute. We’ve been able to build a reputation of trust and I have permission from Tribal Leaders to bring education about clinical trials to the reservation.”

Nassi, an enrolled member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and member of the Cherokee Nation, focuses on bringing cancer education to the frontier and rural locations across the Mountain West. She started at Huntsman Cancer Institute in 2001 as a manager of special populations and has served on many committees and advisory boards.

“Nassi has shown relentless commitment and cultural humility to serve as an advocate for American Indian communities across Utah and 17 other states, including Idaho, New Mexico, Montana, Arizona, and Alaska,” says Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS, executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute. “She improves cancer awareness and survival through promotion of early detection practices, communication about the benefits of cancer research, and clinical trial enrollment. Her passion and efforts to reduce disparities and bring health equity to underserved populations makes her highly deserving of the prestigious AACR Public Service award.”

Huntsman Cancer Institute founder Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., former National Cancer Institute Director Andrew C. von Eschenbach, MD, and former U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, are just some of the previous honorees.

“It’s amazing and humbling to be part of this group, I could not have done what I do and what I love without the support of my son, Enrico, his partner, and my late husband Walter.”

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About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah

Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah is the official cancer center of Utah and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West. The campus includes a state-of-the-art cancer specialty hospital and two buildings dedicated to cancer research. Huntsman Cancer Institute provides patient care, cancer screening, and education at community clinics and affiliate hospitals throughout the Mountain West. It is consistently recognized among the best cancer hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report. The region’s first proton therapy center opened in 2021 and a major hospital expansion is underway. Huntsman Cancer Institute is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for staff, students, patients, and communities. Advancing cancer research discoveries and treatments to meet the needs of patients who live far away from a major medical center is a unique focus. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center, including genes responsible for breast, ovarian, colon, head and neck cancers, and melanoma. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.