The fifth annual Cancer Community Awards (C2 Awards) will celebrate the innovative individuals and organizations dedicated to making a difference for those living with and affected by cancer. Over the past four years, the C2 Awards have recognized changemakers who expanded access to advanced cancer care, increased the precision of cancer treatments, or improved the quality of life for cancer patients and their families. Click here to see past winners.

There are six Award categories, which are described below. Overall, the C2 Awards recognize contributions made toward redefining cancer care, whether by extending quality care to underserved communities, making cancer care more equitable, improving the patient experience, bringing forward new treatments and technologies, or just doing something flat-out inspiring for patients and their families. To be considered, these contributions should have taken place in 2022, but do not need to be completed — ideas and initiatives showing promise and progress are welcome. Nominees must be based in the United States to be considered. (For the complete Rules & Regulations, click here.)

Winners will:

  • Receive a $50,000 grant to give to a certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves the cancer community.
  • Be honored at a celebration in the Fall of 2023.
  • Be featured through various media outlets, including Scientific American.

Winners will be chosen by a panel of expert judges representative of the cancer community, who will assess the nominations based on qualitative and quantitative metrics.

2023 Cancer Community Awards Descriptions

C2 CATALYST FOR CARE AWARD

Recognizes those who are working to transform the experience for people navigating cancer.

How a patient feels during treatment and what happens outside the clinic matters just as much as the treatment itself. Nominees for the C2 Catalyst for Care Award work to transform the patient experience.

This Award is all about making navigating cancer as easy as possible during an extraordinarily difficult time. A Nominee helps patients, or their families manage challenges beyond medical care. They should possess the ability to enhance the experience of people navigating cancer care during some point of their cancer treatment, from diagnosis and beyond. Examples include:

  • Creating a program to educate on the benefits of incorporating integrative therapies into a patient’s treatment journey.
  • Building a buddy program for support during chemotherapy treatment.
  • Providing meals that are healthy and easily tailored to individual patient needs.

C2 CATALYST FOR CHANGE AWARD

Recognizes those who are working to revolutionize access to quality cancer care for underserved populations.

Scientific advancements in cancer care and treatment can save lives, but it can be a challenge to ensure these advancements reach underserved communities. Nominees for the C2 Catalyst for Change Award are working to revolutionize access to cancer care.

This Award celebrates those who significantly improve access to cancer care for underserved communities. Nominees drive change at the community-, neighborhood-, or hospital-level that results in better cancer care for more people.

A Nominee should possess the ability to improve access to high-quality cancer care for underserved communities. Examples include:

  • Creating a service that enables or provides transportation for patients to and from medical appointments.
  • Establishing community engaged approaches to educate at-risk populations in ways that will resonate with them.
  • Creating education and adherence tools that are easy for patients and their families to use, understand, and access.

C2 CATALYST FOR EQUITY AWARD

Recognizes those who are working to create equitable care and access across the cancer community.

Nominees for this Award have worked to overcome systemic barriers in cancer care so that everyone has equitable access to quality cancer care, including preventive screening and clinical trial knowledge.

This Award celebrates those who are working to significantly create greater equity in cancer care. Nominees break down barriers to care, ensuring that underserved communities have access to life-saving cancer treatment.

A Nominee should possess the ability to improve access, affordability, and outcomes for patients in underserved communities who often experience poorer outcomes, including later diagnosis and higher incidence of mortality due to systemic barriers. Examples might include:

  • Bringing treatment and quality cancer care to people navigating cancer in underserved communities.
  • Developing an education, outreach, or clinical program built to equalize access in at-risk populations.
  • Working with community leaders or organizations to address the social determinants of health at play in cancer care.
  • Advocating for improved access to the latest screening, testing, and treatment options available.

C2 CATALYST FOR NEXT-GENERATION ONCOLOGY AWARD

Recognizes those who are working to accelerate the understanding and treatment of cancer.

This evolved Award expands on the previous C2 Catalyst for Precision Medicine Award, to acknowledge that many of the most promising advances in cancer care come from ground-breaking research, such as unraveling molecular pathways involved in cancer or applying advanced computation to explore data sets.

A Nominee for this Award is expanding the boundaries for understanding and treating cancer. This Award celebrates those who accelerate the next generation of cancer knowledge and care.

A Nominee should possess the ability to impact next-generation oncology. Examples include:

  • Driving research to help people navigating cancer better understand the role of nutrition.
  • Creating an early detection program to educate local HCPs in a rural community.
  • Leading research that identifies new factors in cancer, such as the microbiome.
  • Expanding genetic testing approaches to improve treatment programs.

UNCONVENTIONAL HEROES AWARD

Recognizes those who are working to advance cancer treatment through unique avenues.

This evolved Award expands on the previous President's Award, to honor the unexpected people or organizations that change oncology.

Nominees for this Award reveal that crucial impacts on oncology are not limited to traditional avenues. A Nominee could be a very young person turning some area of oncology upside down, a cancer survivor with the desire to make an impact for others, or an expert from an unrelated field applying their knowledge to improve an aspect of cancer care.

A Nominee should possess the ability to make an impact on cancer care that is unique in some way. Examples might include:

  • A parent-created guide on managing care for children with cancer.
  • A breast cancer survivor developing care kits for first-time chemo patients.
  • A local clinic developing a transportable screening facility.

INNOVATION AWARD

Recognizes those who are working to find unique approaches to redefining cancer care.

This new Award reflects an annual C2 Awards theme. Innovations can come from anywhere to improve the quality of time and the quality of life for people living with cancer. In 2023, this Award honors the people or organizations driving innovation at every step, whether it comes from someone’s living room or from inside a lab.

Nominees for this Award are working toward novel solutions that would improve any part of the experience for people living with, working on, or caring for someone with cancer. As a result, more patients can receive quality care and support in new ways.

A Nominee should possess the ability to create novel support for the cancer community. Examples might, whether through a medical advancement or social education, include:

  • Finding ways to provide cancer care through innovative economics and technologies.
  • Enabling cancer treatment centers to more easily find and use information from clinical trials.
  • Recognizing an existing pain point in the treatment journey and fixing it in a new way.
  • Developing at-home technology that makes it easier to receive quality care.

For all Award categories, work may be in progress. Qualitative and/or quantitative outcomes are welcome. A Nominee could demonstrate measurable or scalable impact, such as people reached, or procedures increased. Ideally, a Nominee’s process/methodology/approach/work could be expanded further to enable access to those navigating cancer in underserved communities.

The C2 Awards — part of the AstraZeneca YOUR Cancer program — are produced through a partnership between AstraZeneca and Scientific American Custom Media with input from a broad group of experts across the cancer community.