Transforming Cancer Care: A Conversation with Visionary Leader, Edward Kim, MD, MBA, City of Hope

Diane has been an active and engaged care partner with Todd, her husband, since he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2017. In January 2020 they retired to devote their time and talents as patient advocates, HealthTree coaches, and myeloma community leaders. They are committed to helping improve and advance cancer care for all patients and feel a collaborative, virtual support group is an excellent way to help educate and empower patients and their families. Diane and Todd have lived in Orange County, CA for over 25 years where they raised their two sons.

Todd Kennedy was diagnosed with myeloma in 2017 and has become a tireless advocate for myeloma patients and research. His background includes over 30 years working in the pharmaceutical industry until he and his wife Diane retired from their respective first careers to devote their time and talents to strengthen the myeloma community. They collaborate with HealthTree and other trusted partners to educate and empower myeloma patients and caregivers and accelerate the arrival of cures.

Audrey joined the HealthTree Foundation as the Myeloma Community Program Director in 2020. While not knowing much about myeloma at the start, she has since worked hard to educate herself, empathize and learn from others' experiences. She loves this job. Audrey is passionate about serving others, loves learning, and enjoys a nice mug of hot chocolate no matter the weather.

Edward S. Kim, M.D, M.B.A., fellow of the American College of Physicians and fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, is physician-in-chief of City of Hope Orange County and the vice physician-in-chief of City of Hope National Medical Center. Dr. Kim joins City of Hope in fulfilling its promise of enhanced local access to cancer breakthroughs by leading its esteemed team of clinicians in Orange County. A U.S. News & World Report "Top Doctor" and clinician world-renowned for his immense oncology experience, Dr. Kim is poised to drive innovation in cancer care and delivery, developing paradigms for translating research into clinical practice and introducing new therapies for the Orange County clinical network and planned Irvine campus. Backed by a distinguished history of pioneering cancer research, Dr. Kim is among the country's foremost experts in molecular prognostication — which advances cancer detection and personalized therapies — for lung, head and neck cancers. He's served as a principal/co-principal investigator on numerous studies and protocols and authored/co-authored more than 200 published articles, book chapters and reviews in top-tier journals, such as The Lancet, The Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Cancer Discovery, Cancer, Nature Medicine, and Cancer Prevention Research. Before joining City of Hope, Dr. Kim was chair of Solid Tumor Oncology and Investigational Therapeutics, the Donald S. Kim Distinguished Chair for Cancer Research and medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, in Charlotte, North Carolina, and professor of medicine at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He's held many leadership roles, such as tenured associate professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Kim recently completed his Master of Business Administration at University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School. Dr. Kim's goals for City of Hope are to promote strategic and team-oriented translational research and patient advocacy for greater accessibility and equitability in cancer care.