Jefferson Professor Receives ‘Tree of Life’ Award
Local Nonprofit Organization Honors Professionals Committed to Making a Difference in Community Health
Edith
P. Mitchell, M.D., clinical professor, Department of Medical Oncology
at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and
associate director of Diversity Programs for the Kimmel Cancer Center
at Jefferson, was recently honored with a ‘Tree of Life’ award from The
Wellness of You, a local nonprofit health education and resource
organization.
The
‘Tree of Life’ award recognizes health professionals who are committed
to making a difference in community health. Recipients of this coveted
award have made extraordinary contributions to health management in
both the local and global community. Recipients include educators,
physicians, authors, community activists, and masters of various
disciplines such as martial arts and feng shui.
“I
am honored to accept this award from The Wellness of You organization
whose purpose is to help individuals in medically underserved areas
realize that simple changes in lifestyle can have a dramatic impact on
one’s health,” said Dr. Mitchell. “Their mission matches my own in
regards to the importance of community outreach especially to those
individuals who may not have the means to seek out more conventional
medical advice.”
Dr.
Mitchell received a bachelor of science in Biochemistry “with
distinction” from Tennessee State University and her medical degree
from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. In 1973, while
attending medical school, Dr. Mitchell entered the Air Force and
received a commission through the Health Professions Scholarship
Program. She entered active duty after completion of her internship
and residency in Internal Medicine at Meharry Medical College and a
fellowship in Medical Oncology at Georgetown University.
Dr.
Mitchell’s research in pancreatic cancer and other GI malignancies
involves new drug evaluation and chemotherapy, development of new
therapeutic regimens, chemoradiation strategies for combined modality
therapy, patient selection criteria and supportive care for patients
with gastrointestinal cancer. She travels nationally and
internationally teaching and lecturing on the treatment of
gastrointestinal malignancies.
Dr.
Mitchell has authored and co-authored more than 100 articles, book
chapters, and abstracts on cancer treatment, prevention, and cancer
control. As a distinguished researcher, she has received 21 Cancer
Research and Principal Investigator Awards, and serves on the National
Cancer Institute Review Panel and the Cancer Investigations Review
Committee.
In
addition to her medical achievements, Dr. Mitchell is a retired
Brigadier General having served as the Air National Guard Assistant to
the Command Surgeon for US Transportation command and headquarters Air
Mobility Command (AMC) based at the Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.
In this capacity she served as the senior medical Air National Guard
advisor to the command surgeon and was the medical liaison between the
active Air Force and the Air National Guard. Her responsibilities in
this role included ensuring maximum wartime readiness and combat
support capability of the worldwide patient movement and aero medical
evacuation system, the Global Patient Movement Requirements Center and
AMC’s 52 Air National Guard medical squadrons.
General
Mitchell has been awarded over 15 military service medals and ribbons
including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force
Achievement and Commendation Medals, National Defense Service Medal,
and Humanitarian Service Medal. Dr. Mitchell was selected for
inclusion in America’s Top Oncologists.
Dr. Mitchell is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a
member of the American Medical Association, the National Medical
Association, Aerospace Medical Association, Association of Military
Surgeons, and the Medical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania. She is also
a member of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, Radiation Therapy
Oncology Group, National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project,
and the Philadelphia Society of Medicine.
Dr. Mitchell resides in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
Media Only Contact:
Ed Federico
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Phone: (215) 955-6300
Published: 10/27/2008