October 2023 – Claudia Beghé Balducci
SIOG mourns the tragic loss of Dr Claudia Balducci (neé Beghé), geriatrician in Tampa, Florida, USA.
Dr Beghé has been in practice for over 25 years and was Chief of Geriatrics at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital of Tampa, Florida. Dr Beghé received her medical degree from the University of Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome, Italy in 1971 before moving to the USA, where she completed her Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson in 1976. Dr Beghé was an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, also in Tampa.
Dr Beghé’s scholarly activities have dealt with geriatric oncology, preventive medicine, the physician/patient relationship, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, anemia, medical education and geriatric care. She has authored several publications in these areas.
Dr Beghé was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a Member of the American Medical Association, the Society for General Internal Medicine, the American Geriatric Society, and the American Academy on Physician and Patient. Dr Beghé has been listed as one of “America’s Best Doctors” uninterruptedly since 2001.
Dr Beghé exemplified the doctor who treats the whole patient with compassion and understanding. Dr Beghé was an active SIOG member and always attended the Society Annual Conferences with her husband Dr Lodovico Balducci, previous Chief of the Senior Adult Oncology Program at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute of Tampa, Florida and considered the father of the field of geriatric oncology.
Our hearts are with Dr. Beghé’s family, her patients and colleagues. She will be profoundly missed at SIOG.
May 2021 – Gouri Shankar Bhattacharyya
SIOG records with great regret the passing of Prof Gouri Shankar Bhattacharyya. A senior member of SIOG with a special interest in palliative care and geriatric oncology, he was a well-respected doctor in India who took pride in serving older cancer patients across various states of India. He passed away on Saturday May 1st, after unfortunately contracting COVID-19.
SIOG remembers Prof. Bhattacharyya for his generosity, brilliant mind and boundless energy. He was a mentor and a close friend to many at SIOG. He was a member of the SIOG Board of Directors (2015-2018), Chairman of the SIOG Publication Committee (2015-2018), and Member of the Journal of Geriatric Oncology Editorial Board (2015-2021).
He was a member of the Task Force for Management of Cancer at the Indian Council for Medical Research, Government of India as well as a member of the Planning Committee of the National Cancer Control Program. He was the founder member of Indian Cooperative Oncology Network (ICON), Molecular Oncology Society, Indian Association of Cancer Research.
He was awarded Certificate of Recognition for Promotion and Development of Palliative Care in the World in 2013, by International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care (IAHPC). He published more than 200 papers and was an Investigator for more than 50 Phase II and III Clinical Trials, including Translational Research. He was also the holder of Orphan Drug status with FDA for Hepato-cellular carcinoma and Pancreatic Cancer based on Investigator initiated trials. On top of all the above responsibilities, he always found time to focus on the care of older adults with cancer. He dedicated much of his time in nurturing and educating many generations of medical oncologists in India. He was also generous with his time with SIOG, contributing his knowledge and experience in geriatric oncology and mentoring many within the society.
Prof. Bhattacharyya will be sorely missed by the SIOG Community.
December 2020 – Bruno Castagneto
SIOG mourns the tragic loss of Dr Bruno Castagneto, medical oncologist, who passed in Genova in December 2020 aged 70 from COVID-19. Dr Castagneto worked for many years at Santo Spirito Hospital in Casale Monferrato, Italy where he was one the first oncologists to raise awareness on pleural mesothelioma in Italy and facilitate the creation of the relevant national registry in his country. In 2007 he became chief of the Oncology Department of Novi Ligure, Italy where he also established a geriatric oncology service. He was also scientific advisor to the Italian League for the Treatment and Prevention of Cancer (Lega Italiana per la Lotta contro i Tumori) and he served as chair of the Italian Group of Geriatric Oncology (GIOGER).
Our hearts are with Dr. Castagneto’s family, his patients and colleagues. He will be profoundly missed at SIOG.
April 2020 – Rosemary Yancik
Rosemary Yancik, PhD, a medical sociologist, was best known for her talent of bringing a group of experts together who shared her interests in improving the prevention and management of cancer in elderly patients. She passed away on April 13, 2020.
Dr. Yancik was instrumental in the formation of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) in 2000. In recognition for her contribution in geriatric oncology, she received the Paul Calabresi Award from SIOG in 2004.
Read the ASCO Post tribute
Read the JGO tribute from Lodovico Balducci and Silvio Monfardini