Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) hosted a 10-year Anniversary celebration of the John P. Murtha Cancer Center (MCC), the Department of Defense’s (DOD) only Center of Excellence (CoE) for cancer care and research, Dec. 2.

The celebration was joined by MCC partners, including the Murtha family, retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Brian Murtha, nephew of Congressman John P. Murtha, Dr. Craig Shriver, director, Murtha Cancer Center, Navy Capt. Drew Bigby, interim hospital director, WRNMMC, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, president, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Dr. Douglas Lowy, principal deputy director, U. S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), Ms. Seileen Mullen, acting assistant secretary of defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)), and Dr. Steven Lieberman, deputy under secretary for health (DUSH) for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans (DVA) Affairs and Army Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, director Defense Health Agency (DHA) on behalf of Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to celebrate the past 10 years and look towards continuing to provide quality care in the battle against cancer.

MCC’s goal within the Military Health System (MHS) is to ensure cancer is prevented, screened for, detected, treated, cured, and rehabilitated, and the effects of cancer and cancer treatment are minimized so service members can return to duty, re-classify to a new duty position, or reintegrate into civilian and veteran communities with the highest possible quality of life.

“There was no cancer center in 2012, and now we have an amazing cancer program that is the envy of many civilian cancer centers,” said Dr. Craig Shriver, director of MCC. “Everything we have and do within the Murtha Cancer Center has developed since 2012, to include much world-class research as well as the growth of our research network beyond [Walter Reed] Bethesda and into seven other DHA hospitals and eight Veterans Affairs hospitals.”

In 2018, the Defense Health Program Charter for the Murtha Cancer Center Research Program (MCCRP) integrated the clinical prowess of the MCC with the advanced research programs of the MCCRP to form a one-of-a- kind translational cancer research center, in partnership with USUHS, NCI, and VHA DVA.

“We have become the central point of the DOD’s efforts in support of the Cancer Moonshot,” said Shriver. “Our Cancer Genetics Program has also increased considerably since our fifth anniversary event. It is a great privilege and honor to work within WRNMMC, the National Capital Region [Market, and], DHA, as the DOD’s only cancer center director. I feel blessed to be serving our patients and nation in this important position.”

Army Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, director of DHA, spoke on behalf of Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as keynote speaker of the ceremony.

“[Hon.] Murtha was put on this earth to make a difference,” said Place. “While the Murtha Cancer Center is the most obvious manifestation of that for those of us who work in medicine, he made a difference to beneficiaries with his career-long support for all sorts of medical research.

Place went on to highlight the many ways Hon. Murtha has made a difference, including his investments in health technology, and his unwavering commitment to the TRICARE benefits, ensuring out-of-pocket expenses were low.

MCC and its partners, using resources such as the Applied Proteogenomics Organizational Learning and Outcomes (APOLLO) network, are now able to do research and develop technology for patients with cancer, including those with very early signs of cancer.

“I doubt there is a single person here today whose family hasn’t been affected by cancer in some way,” said Place. “Just as we’re expected to leave no-one behind on the battlefield, we have the same obligation to every single person who trusts us with their health care.”

Music by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band Brass Quintet, remarks from guest speakers and recognition of three cancer patient/survivors, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Jabara, Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Charles Felder and Mrs. Melinda Deloatch-Speight, Coast Guard Spouse were a part of the program of events.

In closing, a proclamation unveiling and signing ceremony where on behalf of their respective organizations, Lowy, Mullen and Lieberman’ signature on the proclamation, “recognize the Murtha Cancer Center’s achievements and the value it brings to our organizations and patients.”

The Cancer Center at Walter Reed Bethesda is a modern, patient-centric, tri-service military healthcare facility. Its comprehensive core of military and civilian oncologists and other cancer-trained clinicians and researchers provide multidisciplinary cancer-care delivery and patient-family support services. Murtha Cancer Center, the only DOD Cancer Center of Excellence within the MHS, offers its patients access to cutting-edge cancer diagnostic and treatment technologies. The world-class care is augmented by a strong core of translational research to facilitate optimal access to evidenced-based clinical practices and access to high-priority clinical cancer trials.

For more information on the John P. Murtha Cancer Center, visit https://walterreed.tricare.mil/MurthaCancerCenter.