Roswell Park Pediatrics Chair Recognized for Efforts to Advance Care for Young People With Blood Cancers

BUFFALO, N.Y. — In recognition of the countless hours she has dedicated to designing and leading practice-changing research and advocating for higher standards of care for children and young adults with cancer, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Chair of Pediatrics Kara Kelly, MD, has been honored with both awards and new leadership positions by several national and international oncology organizations.

Dr. Kelly, who also directs the Roswell Park Oishei Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Program, has spent her career bringing accomplished experts together to advance outcomes and quality of life for adolescents and young adult patients with Hodgkin lymphoma through clinical trials of novel targeted or immunotherapeutic approaches.

Chair of NCCN Guidelines Panel

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of leading cancer centers including Roswell Park, has named Dr. Kelly as Chair of its Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma Panel. NCCN panels publish cancer care guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence — guides that are updated regularly and are the most widely used standards for cancer care. In addition, Dr. Kelly remains a member of the NCCN’s Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Panel.

LRF Distinguished Leadership Award

Dr. Kelly accepted the Distinguished Leadership Award at the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s 2023 Annual Gala in New York City. LRF is the nation’s largest nonprofit committed to funding innovative lymphoma research, and serves the community through education, outreach and patient services. Since 2015, Dr. Kelly has sat on the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board, a group of world-renowned experts who actively seek innovative and promising research projects for support.

Pediatric Lymphoma Achievement Award

Organizers of this year’s International Symposium for Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma (ISCAYAHL) recognized Dr. Kelly’s efforts in the field with a special achievement award. Organizers say Dr. Kelly embodies the “spirit of the symposium” and thank her for her “scientific contributions in pediatric lymphoma and service to the global lymphoma research community.” The Symposium was first held in 2011 and continues to engage experts from various national and international collaborative groups such as the Children’s Oncology Group, Pediatric Hodgkin Consortium and more.

Dr. Kelly is a graduate of the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and completed her residency and fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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From the world’s first chemotherapy research to the PSA prostate cancer biomarker, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center generates innovations that shape how cancer is detected, treated and prevented worldwide. Driven to eliminate cancer’s grip on humanity, the Roswell Park team of 4,000 makes compassionate, patient-centered cancer care and services accessible across New York State and beyond. Founded in 1898, Roswell Park was among the first three cancer centers nationwide to become a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and is the only one to hold this designation in Upstate New York. To learn more about Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Roswell Park Care Network, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email ASKRoswell@RoswellPark.org.