ALEXANDRIA, Va – The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) presented its Advocate of the Year Award to Jasmine Kamboj, MD, for her exceptional contributions to advocacy efforts to improve cancer care and research. A current member of ASCO’s Health Equity Committee, Dr. Kamboj volunteered much of her time to advocate on behalf of cancer advocacy priorities that impact people with cancer and their cancer care teams.

Driven by her background in health equity, Dr. Kamboj urged her lawmakers to support the CLINICAL TREATMENT Act, which requires Medicaid to cover the routine care costs for clinical trial participation. The bill was signed into law earlier this year, due in no small part to advocacy from Dr. Kamboj and others in the oncology community. Dr. Kamboj also advocated for the Cancer Drug Parity Act, COVID-19 relief bills, and the Safe Step Act. She met with all three of her elected officials as part of ASCO’s Advocacy at Home program, and attended ASCO’s 2020 Advocacy Summit, leveraging her expertise as an oncologist and the knowledge and awareness of what her home state faces as a constituent.

“Dr. Kamboj’s commitment to advocating on pivotal issues that touch all in the oncology community make her a rising star,” said Carolyn Hendricks, MD, FASCO, chair of ASCO’s Government Relations Committee. “The fruits of her work are seen in monumental successes like the passing of the CLINICAL TREATMENT Act. Dr. Kamboj’s devotion to patients and the cancer care team is remarkable, and all in the oncology community will benefit from her efforts.”

From sending letters to her lawmakers through the ASCO ACT Network, meeting with her elected officials in Minnesota, or participating in the 2020 virtual Advocacy Summit, Dr. Kamboj was always enthusiastic about helping to educate lawmakers about ASCO’s legislative priorities. While Dr. Kamboj was relatively new to ASCO advocacy when the year began, she ended 2020 an advocacy expert.

In addition to her advocacy efforts, Dr. Kamboj practices at Virginia Piper Cancer Institute in River Falls, Wisconsin and at the Northfield Hospital in Northfield, Minnesota. Dr. Kamboj earned her medical degree at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, India, completed her residency at Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, and fellowship in Hematology & Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

Visit ASCO’s ACT Network to get involved in ASCO’s advocacy activities.