{"id":126988,"date":"2025-10-22T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=126988"},"modified":"2026-03-19T13:19:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T18:19:57","slug":"joann-sweasy-phd-to-serve-as-president-of-aaci","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2025\/10\/22\/joann-sweasy-phd-to-serve-as-president-of-aaci\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Sweasy to confront rural cancer as new AACI president"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Joann Sweasy, PhD, director of the National Cancer Institute-designated Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, will begin her two-year term as president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) with a bold vision to confront one of the nation\u2019s most pressing health disparities: rural cancer care. The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is Nebraska\u2019s only NCI-designated center and one of only 73 in the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Sweasy, who took over leadership of the cancer center in November 2023, said that her first initiative in her new role will be addressing the crisis of rural cancer health across the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She discussed the initiative with AACI members on Oct. 20 at the AACI\/Cancer Center Administrators Forum annual meeting and began her term as president on Oct. 21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/a>The majority of land in the United States is categorized as rural and even frontier, with only 14-20% of the population lives in these areas,\u201d Dr. Sweasy said. \u201cIndividuals residing in rural areas generally have higher rates of morbidity and mortality from cancer. This results from insufficient access to prevention, cancer risk reduction services, and cancer treatment, including clinical trials. This initiative is in alignment with my vision for the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, which is to reduce the cancer burden in the State of Nebraska.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since most NCI-Designated Cancer Centers like the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, and those pursuing designation, claim rurality as part of their catchment areas, the initiative will enlighten and educate member institutions about rural cancer health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will engage them to share best practices and find solutions that lower barriers to access of cancer care and prevention in rural areas of the United States,\u201d Dr. Sweasy said. \u201cAs part of the National Team to lower cancer rates and develop better treatments, all centers will benefit from this initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Sweasy laid out a number of goals for the effort during her term, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n