As a teenager, Sophia Russell dreamed of making the world a better place. Today, she’s doing that by improving research studies. But she’s not a scientist.

“When scientists are creating research studies that will recruit community members, it is valuable to include perspectives of that population in the planning stages. That’s where I come in,” says Russell, a program coordinator in MD Anderson’s Health Disparities Research department...

Completing cancer treatment is a big deal. Frequently, it’s celebrated through a bell ringing ceremony with family and care team members. But things were a little different when my dad, Ken, finished radiation therapy at MD Anderson West Houston for his pancreatic cancer recently.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, neither my sister nor I could be with him during treatment. As an MD Anderson employee, I understand why MD Anderson has...