On May 2019, Mayo Clinic oncologist and RIS Medical Advisory Board Member, Dr. Steven Robinson, hosted a meeting for Mayo colleagues to learn about Rein in Sarcoma’s initiatives. Over lunch provided by the Red Flags Committee, Mayo Radiation Oncologist and RIS Medical Advisory Board Member Safia Ahmed, presented the new Rein in Sarcoma Patient Starter notebook. Dr. Ahmed and other Medical Advisory Board members provided new information and helped the Red Flags Committee bring the notebook up to date.
RIS Maudlin Sarcoma Scholars from Mayo, Taylor Weikittel and Mylan Blomquist, told about the many activities they have organized for Mayo Medical School Students to raise sarcoma awareness. They also summarized the survey they and the University of Minnesota scholars completed – asking former scholars about their experiences after their sarcoma scholar year. Kara Dolney, Mayo patient and RIS Patient and Family Support Committee member, spoke about her sarcoma experience and the RIS support available to Mayo sarcoma patients.
Pete Wyckoff and Dr. Robinson summarized the RIS research grants to Mayo and then led a discussion about further collaboration. Mayo Medical Staff attendees were very attentive and asked many questions. Molecular Pathologist Kevin Halling wrote the next day to say how much he enjoyed the meeting:
“As a pathologist I don’t often get to see the direct patient care side of things and so I found yesterday’s meeting very enlightening. Again, thanks for all your work.”
Kevin Halling, Molecular Pathologist, Mayo Clinic
Doctors and staff from departments that had not previously handed out Rein in Sarcoma Patient Notebooks eagerly took notebooks we had brought to start giving to their patients. Rein in Sarcoma and Mayo Clinic enjoy a great collaboration that encompasses Rein in Sarcoma’s three-pronged mission: sarcoma education, patient support, and funding sarcoma research. It was a great day of sharing ideas for all of us.