Global Oncology Program
Through the Global Oncology Program, the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center continues to strengthen Loyola’s global oncology footprint, leveraging Loyola’s expertise to foster international collaboration, advance education, and improve cancer care worldwide. Under the leadership of Dr. Tamer Refaat, Assistant Director for the Center for Community and Global Engagement at Stritch School of Medicine, the Cancer Center looks forward to creating and expanding partnerships in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as initiating new collaborations in Latin America.
Promoting joint research projects and exchange programs with cancer centers worldwide and developing training opportunities with national and international entities to support oncology education and workforce development are also key parts of the center’s vision. By investing in the next generation of cancer care leaders, the center continues to offer ample opportunities for students to pursue global oncology electives and research.
Students and trainees interested in Loyola’s honors program in community and global health and related electives can find more information from the Center for Community and Global Health.
Summer 2026 Cancer Community Engagement Award
A Joint Initiative of the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center (CBCC) and the Center for Community and Global Health (CCGH)
_______________________________________
Program Overview:
The Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center (CBCC), in collaboration with the Center for Community and Global Health (CCGH) at the Stritch School of Medicine, is pleased to announce the Summer 2026 Cancer Community Engagement Award for medical students enrolled in the CCGH program. The program is designed to foster early engagement in oncology-related community outreach, health equity, and cancer prevention initiatives.
________________________________________
Program Objectives:
- Promote student-led initiatives addressing cancer prevention, education, screening, survivorship, or disparities.
- Strengthen collaboration between SSOM students and CBCC faculty mentors
- Encourage meaningful community partnerships aligned with Loyola’s mission of service
- Support innovative, sustainable, and scalable community-based cancer projects
The following rising M2 students have been selected to receive the Summer 2026 Cancer Community Engagement award.
Meghan Coleman - Do Pre-Surgical Clearance Protocols Improve Outcomes? A Comparative Analysis of Breast, Colorectal, and Melanoma Cancer Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center and the Krystyna Kiel Oncology Center
CBCC Faculty Mentor: Erin Strong, MD, MBA, MPH, Department of Surgery
Maureen Desmond - Understanding the Utility of Ultrasound and MRI for Axillary Lymph Node Staging and its Extensibility to a Limited-Resource Setting
CBCC Faculty Mentor: Chantal Reyna, MD, Associate Professor of Surgical Oncology
Samantha Mallahan - Optimizing Post Therapy Breast Cancer Surveillance Imaging at Loyola and Comparing Surveillance Patterns and Outcomes in a Resource Limited Setting
CBCC Faculty Mentor: Tamer Refaat, MD PhD MSCI - Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology