Awards

Spirit of Life Award

The Spirit of Life Award is presented to exceptional individuals whose intangible qualities—their generosity, their ability to inspire, and their desire to make a difference for breast cancer research at Georgetown Lombardi—make their lives worthy of admiration.

Awardees

  • Jessica Miller, 2026
  • Blair Todd, 2025
  • Dr. Tara Abraham & Alima Draughton, 2024
  • Lena Markley, Susan Hess, & Sara Reges, 2023
  • Debbie Smith Rayford, 2021
  • Lena Markley, 2019
  • Angela Ertlschweiger, 2018
  • Susan Miller, 2017
  • Claire Madden, 2016
  • Donna Hopkins, 2015
  • Karin M. Gifuni, 2014
  • Jennifer Griffin, 2011
  • Elizabeth Shepard, 2010
  • Susan Sonley, 2009
  • Linda Rabbitt, 2008

 

Recognition & Appreciation Awardees

  • Barbara Schaefer McDuffie & Janet Davis Brooks, 2022
  • Diane Ray Brown, 2019
  • Greta Kreuz, 2018
  • Daphne Baker, 2013

The Davis-McDuffie Innovation in Breast Cancer Award

Inspired by Janet Davis Brooks and Barbara McDuffie, this Innovation in Breast Cancer Award has one goal: to identify and support future research leaders who will keep the field of breast cancer research vibrant with new ideas.

Innovative pilot projects led by young investigators are essential to securing financial and scientific support for long-term breast cancer research efforts and are critical to uncovering new insights about the disease. This annual award will support early stage ideas with the potential to transform scientists’ understanding of breast cancer.

Congratulations Dr. Ayesha Shajahan-Haq, 2026 recipient of the Davis-McDuffie Innovation in Breast Cancer Award! Click here to learn more about Dr. Shajahan-Haq and her life-saving work.

Ayesha Shajahan-Haq, PhD is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology at Georgetown University and a member of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. She earned her PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2004 and subsequently completed post-doctoral training in breast cancer research at Georgetown University Medical Center.

Dr. Shajahan-Haq’s research focuses on overcoming clinical drug resistance in breast cancer, with a particular emphasis on estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtypes. Her work aims to identify novel therapeutic targets that inhibit tumor growth while sparing healthy tissue. Her innovative research has garnered support from major organizations such as NIH/NCI, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and METAvivor.

A central pillar of her career is the integration of patient advocacy into scientific research. In 2011, she co-founded the Georgetown Breast Cancer Advocates (GBCA) and continues to serve as the group’s Scientific Advisor, fostering vital partnerships between clinicians, researchers, and those affected by the disease.

Innovation Awardees

  • Ayesha Shajahan-Haq, Ph.D., 2026
  • Claire Conley, Ph.D., 2025
  • Candace Mainor, M.D., 2024
  • Miriam Jacobs, M.D., inaugural recipient 2023