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The Huntsman Cancer Institute Communications and Public Affairs team had the opportunity to reflect on some of their outstanding work at the 2023 Golden Spike Awards ceremony. Put on by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Greater Salt Lake Chapter, this yearly ceremony celebrates excellent communication in many forms.
After an especially busy year, six Huntsman Cancer Institute projects were selected as finalists by the team of PRSA judges, and two went on to capture Golden Spike Awards.
Projects were judged based on research, planning, implementation, evaluation, and content. All six entries combined the efforts of the Communications and Public Affairs Team, Huntsman Cancer Foundation, and Huntsman Cancer Institute medical professionals and patients.
The Fall 2022 edition of Helix magazine highlighted patients and providers, as well as Huntsman Cancer Institute’s partnership with Little America, and its commitment to care in the Mountain West. The stories featured in this magazine are still active and receiving interest.
“This recognition celebrates innovative storytelling and impactful design as we tell the stories of Huntsman Cancer Institute,” says Meredith Vehar, MBA, director of communications.
The winning press release combined three recently published studies from the research team headed by Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS, chief scientific officer and executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Presidential Professor in Cancer Research at the University of Utah.
One of the studies, led by Jennifer Ose, PhD, MS, MPH, an investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and assistant professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the U, was published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention. The results showed that regular physical activity, like walking, can extend the lives of colorectal cancer patients. The press release was reshared in more than 12 countries, such as Spain, Vietnam, Canada, and Australia. Since its distribution, it has been mentioned 296 times and had a global reach totaling over 150 million people.
“Together, we turn scientific discoveries and knowledge into a beacon of understanding that resonates globally,” says Heather Simonsen, MA, manager of public affairs at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
After an especially busy year for Huntsman Cancer Institute, these awards help commemorate the hard work of many. These projects would not be possible without dedicated researchers, physicians, and passionate patients, who make these stories personal.