Dr. William West, who founded West Cancer Center, originally opened West Clinic in 1979 in a two-room office at 901 Madison Avenue.
It’s certainly come a long way — in so many ways.
The beautiful West Cancer Center, which opened in 2016 on Wolf River Boulevard, is full of works by local artists, including Jimpsie Ayres and Brantley Elzey. Yvonne Bobo did the massive and stunning kinetic “Murmations,” which spins.
It was there on March 23rd that “An Evening With Lee Schwartzberg,” was held to announce a $3 million capital campaign for the Lee S. Schwartzberg Endowed Research Program established by West Cancer Foundation.
According to the press kit, the program “underwrites research projects concerning cancer treatments, patient-centered and value-based care, and facts that lead to disparities in outcome.”
Also announced was the dedication of the Lee S. Schwartzberg Research Institute at West Cancer Center.
Posters at the event referred to Schwartzberg as a “Living Legend.” The posters were correct.
Schwartzberg, a New York native, began his career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. West inspired Schwartzberg to “bring clinical research to Memphis.” At the time of his arrival, clinical research was exclusive to academic institutions.
“As a principal oncologist and innovative leader of West Cancer Center for more than 30 years, Dr. Schwartzberg was at the helm of adult-cancer research, guiding a voyage of discovery and learning that has impacted the field of cancer care locally, nationally, and around the world.”
I missed the official presentation of a guitar art piece done by Ron Olson to Schwartzberg, who, originally, was given the guitar on February 3rd.
But I did get to see the unveiling of a plaque announcing the establishment of the Lee S. Schwarzberg Research Institute. The plaque read: “Named for his determined and innovative leadership, generous heart, innate talent, and dedication that helped transform the delivery of cancer care.”
Schwartzberg told the guests what led to him to decide to move to Memphis. He said, “I accompanied Bill and Kurt (Tauer, West Cancer Center chairman) to watch the treatment of an advanced cancer patient with a novel and mysterious drug called interleukin-2. This was a fascinating treatment designed to stimulate the immune system. It was brand new and it was not yet being done in New York City in the world’s greatest cancer center. I was intrigued and enthralled.”
He decided to relocate. “(I) moved from the Upper East side of Manhattan to East Memphis to find my professional bliss.”
Schwartzberg, who spent the bulk of his career studying and treating breast cancer, says, “Since West Clinic opened in 1979 there has been a 60 percent drop in the death rate from breast cancer. Today, the survival rate of early-stage breast cancer is in excess of 95 percent. Advanced metastatic breast cancer has gone from a terminal illness to a chronic condition that women can not only live with, but become thrivers, not merely survivors. Most advanced breast cancer today can be treated with pills to keep the disease under control for years at a time.”
Following his remarks, I went up to Schwartzberg to take his photo and say hello. He says to me, “Still at it?” I think I’ve taken many a photo of him at parties over the years.
Well, ditto. Schwartzberg also is still at it. He and his wife, Tammy, now live in Reno, Nevada, where he is section chief medical oncology at the William N. Pennington Institute at Renown.
