Letter of Hope by David Gaffney, MD, PhD
Nov 05, 2026
Read Time: 2 minutes
Author: David Gaffney, MD, PhD
Takeaways: David Gaffney, MD, PhD, shares how his experience with lymphoma shaped how cares for patients. He serves as interim senior director of clinical research at Huntsman Cancer Institute and executive vice chair and professor of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Utah. Impact: By combining innovative research with compassionate care, Huntsman Cancer Institute is helping improve outcomes and create a future with more reasons for hope.
Dear Patients and Their Loved Ones, Cancer touches the lives of far too many individuals and families, which is something I experienced firsthand. However, there are also many reasons to have hope about the future.
I was diagnosed with lymphoma at age 21. The diagnosis came as a shock, and I had to drop out of college and return home to begin treatment. It was difficult, but luckily, I was healthy going through chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and I returned to school with a desire to do something important. Along the way, I developed a passion for cancer care and research.
That experience shaped the way I care for patients today. Part of me understands the fear of a cancer diagnosis, and I try to let my patients see me as a person. I learned firsthand the power of cancer treatment. I like to say, “Chemotherapy is lifesaving medicine, and radiation therapy is truly the healing beam.”
I was treated more than 40 years ago, and today, there are more reasons for hope than ever before. Progress in cancer treatment was stagnant decades ago. Now, surgery, medical oncology and radiation oncology are far better than a decade ago, and progress is coming fast. There are so many new therapies and it is important that we test them in clinical trials.
New treatments are being developed at a remarkable pace as we discover better ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer.
I am very grateful to work alongside exceptional research and clinical teams who are united in their commitment to helping people live longer, healthier lives.
While cancer remains a difficult disease, the progress we continue to make gives me tremendous hope. Every advance in research and every patient who participates in a clinical trial helps us move closer to a world without cancer.
With hope,
David Gaffney, MD, PhD
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Letter of Hope
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