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Each year, ASCRS awards two scholarships to help early-career general or colorectal surgeons. 
 
The International Travel Scholarship funds travel and registration fees to attend the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting. This award is intended for surgeons practicing in parts of the world where the specialty of colorectal surgery is not well established and in areas of great need. Selection of these awards will be based on the applicant’s commitment and potential to impact his or her community.
 
The Career Development Scholarship funds travel and registration fees to attend the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting as well as visits with up to two of the top-rated U.S. colorectal training programs. This award is intended to identify young surgeons with a high potential to advance the specialty. 

Congratulations to this year’s winners:
 
Career Development Award winners
•            Ryan Rainiel Abary, Quirino Memorial Medical Center -  Quezon, Philippines
•            Meryl Oyomno, Steve Biko Academic Hospital - Pretoria, South Africa
•            Praveen Kammar, Nanavati Super Specialty Hospital - Mumbai, India
 
Travel Award winners
•            Suman Baral, Lumbini Medical College and Teaching Hospital Ltd - Pravas, Palpa, Nepal
•            Sanjeev Kumar, Tata Memorial Centre - Mumbai, India
•            Pranav Mandovra, Zen Multi Specialty Hospital - Mumbai, India
•            Sami Ullah, Services Hospital - Lahore, Pakistan
 

The Society’s Annual Business Meeting is not only a tradition defined in the Bylaws, but also celebrates member accomplishments, and showcases brief reports intended to keep you informed of the activity of our Society. We miss seeing one another at the Annual Meeting- whether we’re headed out to a planned dinner, or spot one another heading from one concurrent sessions to another, and stop to catch up. Frankly, we are all looking forward to the next time we can safely meet and share some remarkable stories!
Join us Sunday night June 7. Take a moment to remember the colleagues we’ve lost and learn more about the financial condition of the Society; bruised, but not battered due to thoughtful and conservative stewardship over many years and aggressive negotiating by staff and leadership to mitigate loss. Celebrate our thriving journal and learn more about this year’s Local Hero. Fellows will elect the new Executive Council and approve qualified members for elevation to Fellow and International Fellow. We will thank outgoing President Dr. Tracy Hull for her leadership in this turbulent and wholly unexpected time. In turn she will congratulate Dr. Neil Hyman as he becomes the 118th President of ASCRS, and welcomes your questions.
Sunday night June 7; 8:00 pm Eastern/ 7:00 pm Central/ 6:00 pm Mountain/ 5:00 pm Pacific
Register here.

2019 Minutes

Where do you practice?
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

Why are you a member of ASCRS?
There are myriad quotes attesting to one’s character being reflected by the company they keep.  If that is the case, it is plain to see why I am a member of the ASCRS.  The society membership is a truly impressive group of surgeons who genuinely care about their patients and their colleagues.  The valued friends and mentors that I have met through the society challenge me to be a better surgeon and I hope to pay that forward over the course of my career.  
 
Why did you specialize in colorectal surgery?  
If I had the opportunity to choose a specialty again, I would choose colorectal surgery a hundred times out of a hundred.  My initial attraction to the field were the surgeons themselves!  One after the next, each colorectal surgeon I met was compassionate, technically excellent and had the uncanny ability to make their patients laugh.  Across fascinating benign and malignant pathologies, operations large and small, I have the privilege of offering the same outstanding care to my own patients.  Yet, even over the course of my short career, the nature of that care has changed so much with thoughtful innovation guiding new and better ways to take care of our patients.  It is a very exciting time to be a colorectal surgeon! 
 

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons cancelled its Annual Scientific Meeting originally scheduled for June 6-10, 2020, in Boston. Protecting the health and safety of our members, attendees, patients and families was paramount in this decision, but some annual meeting activities will carry on virtually, like the Local Hero Award.

This award recognizes a patient who has been affected by a colorectal disease, has contributed to the local community through advocacy or public outreach efforts and has an inspirational message for others. This year’s Local Hero Award recipient is Amy Ennis.

Amy Ennis, a Boston local, and was only 38 years old when she was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer. Ennis received treatment at the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC)’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Treatment Center. Ennis underwent surgery to remove the cancer before receiving chemotherapy. This treatment plan seemed to be working, but about a year later a routine scan revealed that the cancer had metastasized to both of her lungs.

“The stage IV diagnosis was 100 times harder than the first one.”

More chemotherapy and four lung surgeries later, Ennis continues to be closely monitored for signs of disease. Ennis said she uses her young daughter as motivation.
Now Ennis is focused on helping other young cancer patients like herself. She created a team for the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk that supports cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber.


The award presentation will take place Wednesday, June 3, at 5:00 pm Pacific/7:00 pm Central/8:00 pm Eastern. We encourage our members to hear from Ennis herself during this event.

Watch the recorded video here.

In appreciation of Dr. David Margolin, ASCRS is pleased to support establishment of the Dr. David Allen Margolin Endowed Professorship at Oschner Health.

Contributions totaling up to $10,000 received from ASCRS members by June 30, 2020 will be matched by the Society.

Just last year, Dave spoke at the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting about his recent medical challenges. He encouraged us to find humor wherever possible, to give generously and receive graciously, and to remember what is really important in life.

We appreciate your support in furthering the legacy of a man who meant so much to so many. The interest on the fund would cover an esteemed faculty member’s salary, helping ensure the level of excellence Dave has brought to the department will continue. You can make a contribution to the endowed fund now on Ochsner Health’s website. 

As you consider your level of giving, you are encouraged you to listen to his address. Dave’s story bears repeating. He was always there for others. Now is the time for us to be there in return.