Name: Hillary Andrews, PhD
Location: Northern Virginia
What’s the primary focus of your advocacy?
Research advocacy – developing data that supports policies to get better drugs to patients faster as well as connecting advocates and patient advocates to improve research
When and how did you get started?
During my postdoc at Georgetown, my best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer when we were both 28 years old in 2016. Despite having a PhD that focused on breast cancer, I had no idea what she was experiencing clinically or emotionally as a newly diagnosed patient. I began working with patient advocates through #BCSM and other platforms and eventually realized there was a gap in the space – advocates were interested in sharing their experiences with researchers but neither knew where to start or what their relationship should look like. After a pilot program I launched at Georgetown connecting advocates with PhD students and postdocs, I worked with Theresa’s Research Foundation to identify challenges with establishing these bidirectional relationships then developed a program to connect advocates and researchers at conferences to overcome these challenges. Alongside this, my full time job is at Friends of Cancer Research, a non-profit organization based in Washington DC whose mission is to use data to help safe and effective drugs get to patients faster.
Has the focus of your advocacy changed over time?
Not really! I continue to be passionate about connecting researchers with advocates and ensuring relationships are bidirectional and fruitful.
What do you find most meaningful about your advocacy?
I love to hear stories about advocates and researchers working together and how impactful their relationships are to one another.
How and why did you get involved with ACE?
Stacey and I went for a coffee walk during AACR in San Diego a few years ago and realized we had some aligned goals for advocacy and education.
What is your role at ACE?
Board Member and Treasurer
What would you like to tell us about your life outside of cancer advocacy?
I have an infant at home who fills my life outside of my day job and my advocacy work.
