Santiago González-Moreno, Medical Director, Chairman, Surgical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Twenty – four years ago last September 22, I joined the staff of the first monographic comprehensive cancer center created in Spain. MD Anderson Cancer Center firmly supported this project from day 1, following the solid back up of its late President John Mendelsohn.
My role at that time was to provide the center with surgical capabilities and lead the creation of a Surgical Oncology unit, a task for which I counted on the unequivocal support of the Head of Surgical Oncology in Houston Raphael E. Pollock.
I am fascinated and proud of having witnessed the evolution of our center into a true reference in Oncology care, research and education, nationally and internationally. Our name has also evolved to our current denomination MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid – Hospiten, which reflects the best synergies and a healthy relationship between our model in Oncology MD Anderson Cancer Center and the international hospital group that supports and operates this project Hospiten. We remain the only non – US named affiliate of MD Anderson Cancer Center and the most senior center within the MD Anderson Cancer Network.
This 24 – year journey has been fascinating. I have lived through good and not – so – good moments, feelings of success and despair, even instances when we felt the project was at real stake. The motivation, team-work, commitment and endurance of colleagues from all professional groups, from administrative positions to all healthcare workers, inspired by our philosophy of multidisciplinary patient – centered care, steered by the current leadership, has shown the sustained viability of our project and got us to the level of excellence that we boast today.
Serving as Medical Director and Head of Surgical Oncology of the center I have seen grow is a true privilege and honor. Positions that I never pursued but humbly accepted when they were offered to me, feeling that I could contribute with a sense of responsibility and service. Leading is not an easy task and I do not spare efforts and resources to keep learning how to become a better leader. Maintaining clinical practice, thanks to the valuable support of my team, keeps me close to the daily reality of the hospital and allows me not to lose the main focus: the patient.
Therefore, 24 years later, I still firmly believe that there is no better place for me to work in Oncology than MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid – Hospiten. Deploying the care model I learnt during my training in the United States without leaving my country, by the hand of the number one in the world.
In a time when different projects are arising around us and colleagues genuinely decide to move on, I do decide to stay on. The best is yet to come.
Thank you to all that believed in my potential 24 years ago and today, and to my dear colleagues that deliver every day world – class multidisciplinary oncology care to our patients.”
More posts featuring Santiago González-Moreno.
