[Skip to Content]

Gregory L. Eastwood, MD, Upstate Medical University honored by American Cancer Society group as public health champion

Gregory L. Eastwood, MD, Upstate Medical University honored by American Cancer Society group as public health champion

Gregory L. Eastwood, MD, interim president of Upstate Medical University, is being honored as a public health champion for his role in creating a smoke-free campus by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. Also recognized are the continuing leadership efforts of Upstate Medical University in promoting practices and policies to reduce the incidence and burden of cancer.

Eastwood will receive the network’s Donald A Gemson Cancer Prevention Public Policy Award Oct. 2 at ceremony in New York City.

Under Eastwood’s leadership (he served as president of Upstate from 1993 to 2006), Upstate, in 2005, became the first smoke-free hospital in New York, and the first SUNY site to establish an entirely smoke-free campus. In partnership with the American Cancer Society, Upstate has led policy change in the 64-campus State University of New York and Onondaga County. In the work environment, its clinical mission and its research focus, cancer is the highest priority at Upstate.

The term ‘public health champion’ accurately describes the body of work of Dr. Eastwood,” said, Kris Kim, executive vice president and eastern division operating officer of the American Cancer Society. “His ability to understand the power of advocacy and dedication to making an impact on the lives of New Yorkers has resulted in significant progress in the war against tobacco. Upstate is an academic medical center that leads by example in their cancer-fighting efforts.”

Eastwood said he shares the honor with many who helped create the smoke-free campus.

“I appreciate this recognition of the leadership of so many people at Upstate Medical University who helped craft and implement our smoke-free policy,” Eastwood said. “When we began to look at creating a healthier campus back in 2004, we realized how smoking on our campus contradicted the university’s mission of improving the health of our community. Through this policy and our increased educational outreach related to smoking cessation, we have helped make Upstate a healthier campus for all. I am pleased that so many other college campuses and hospitals have followed Upstate’s lead and are taking similar steps to creating healthier communities.”

Upstate Medical University is also being recognized for demonstrating significant cancer-related leadership accomplishments in tobacco control and lung cancer, nutrition and physical activity, innovation and discovery, advocacy and access.

The Donald A .Gemson Cancer Prevention Public Policy Award highlights the importance of leadership for broad-based policy change in the fight against cancer, a cause that Don Gemson, MD, MPH, an American Cancer Society board member, physician, public health advocate, Columbia University professor and corporate health leader, embraced throughout his vibrant career. Through the award, leaders are recognized who work, every day, for change in the corporate, government and health care arenas around the cancer burden.

Caption: Then Upstate Medical University President Gregory L. Eastwood, M.D., announces at a August press conference in 2005 that the Upstate campus will become smoke free. The smoke-free initiative, guided by Eastwood, has now been adopted by area hospitals and other SUNY campuses. Eastwood is being honored by an American Cancer Society group for his leadership and advocacy on the issue.

Top