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ACS recognizes palliative ‘pathfinder’
Charles F. von Gunten
The American Cancer Society named Charles F. von Gunten, MD, PhD, FACP, FAAHPM, as its 2012 Pathfinder in Palliative Care.
The award is designed to recognize those who have demonstrated innovation and ingenuity in their contributions to the advancement of the field of palliative care.
Von Gunten is provost and vice president of the Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, a teaching affiliate of the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
“There is nothing more meaningful to a physician than to be recognized for having an impact on patients’ and families’ lives,” von Gunten, who also is medical director of the Doris A. Howell Palliative Care Service at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, said in a press release. “To be recognized by ACS — a patient advocacy organization — is a pinnacle moment in my career.”
Von Gunten, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Palliative Medicine, received the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. He is a founding trustee and past chairman of the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and he is immediate past president of the American Association for Cancer Education.
“The American Cancer Society is committed to both saving lives and improving the quality of life of individuals and families facing cancer,” Vincent T. DeVita Jr., MD, president of the ACS, said in the release. “Dr. von Gunten deserves to be recognized for his commitment to his field and for his pioneering efforts to improve palliative care in this country.”