ASTROnews: Humbled and grateful

By Tim R. Williams, M.D., Chair, Board of Directors

So I’m standing in the shower in my hotel room in Chicago, staring at “The Morning Bath” by Edgar Degas, just a few feet away from me. I had been assured by the management that it was genuine, and the information plaque mounted beside it lent credibility to the idea. Indeed, I had been told that all of the Impressionist masterworks in the hotel room were real, from one of the other Degas’ in the living room, to the not one but two Manet paintings in the study, to my personal favorite, a beautiful Monet in the master bedroom. All in all the Penthouse Suite at the Palmer House Hilton was 2,800 square feet of luxury beyond the comprehension of the average person. Or at least it was beyond my comprehension. You could take the five nicest hotel rooms at which I had ever stayed in my entire life, push them all together, and you still wouldn’t have a room such as this suite. So there I am, taking a shower with an Impressionist nude nearby stepping into her bathtub. Pretty heady stuff for a guy like me.

You get a lot of perks and credit as ASTRO president, and I probably don’t deserve either. To be able to take residence for a week in what is arguably the nicest hotel room in the city of Chicago as president of the Society was a wonderful indulgence that I will remember, with gratitude, forever. But there were so many other things that are worth remembering, so much more gratitude that should be offered.

First, I found myself on the receiving end of much praise for the coordination and quality of the scientific program. Well, I don’t deserve any of it. Ted De Weese and Lynn Wilson were the Program Committee chair and vice-chair, and they deserve all of the credit for the excellent content. From abstract selection, to poster session synchronization, educational sessions, keynote speakers and a host of other attention-requiring items, they did a masterful job. My main input was agreeing with their suggestions; my most valuable contribution was staying out of their way. Thank you, Ted and Lynn, for making the meeting so fantastic.

Historically, I go to ASTRO to learn, not to teach. I am a community practitioner, and I have no research legacy around which to develop a theme for the Presidential Course. While the theme “Radiation Oncology in 2020” was mine, it was the tremendous work of the moderators who made the day so successful. Thank you Mohamed Khan, David Kirsch, Ted DeWeese, Mark Dewhirst, Dennis Hallahan and Siavash Jabbari for your superb work in coordinating and presenting your visions of the future of the specialty. All of the compliments I have received for the course I humbly transfer to you.

Between hosting a reception in the suite for the Radiation Oncology Institute, handing out research awards at some of the sessions, providing answers to reporters from local and national media, among other obligations, the dedicated and professional staff at ASTRO did an unbelievable job making sure I was at the right place at the right time. In fact, the entire meeting went off without any major problems because of the tireless and proficient work of the ASTRO staff. Starting with Kathy Thomas and Janet Mitchell, thank you so much for all of the great work that made everything so easy. And there are so, so many other people who went far out of their way to contribute to the meeting’s success. I could pick out a few names, like Michele Cordie, Terry Karras, Emily Wilson, Marsha Kaufman, Katherine Bennett, Laura Gogal and Helen Johansson, but this would be a disservice to them all, because, believe me, you have never seen teamwork like this organization. All of the ASTRO staff, without regard to their position in the organization, routinely went way above and beyond their normal responsibilities, doing anything necessary at any particular moment to make the meeting a success. Thank you ASTRO staff for making it all so easy for me.

So the 51st Annual Meeting has come and gone. It was a great success. I tell you now I had little to do with the accomplishment. If I were asked to sum up the breadth and depth of my feelings of the meeting, the best word I could conjure up would be, most certainly, gratitude. The program chairs, the faculty, the ASTRO staff and everybody associated with the effort are the ones who deserve the credit. All I can say to all of you is thank you, thank you, thank you. And on top of all of that tribute and acclaim, I get to take a shower with an Impressionist masterwork in the best room in the city. Pretty heady stuff for a guy like me.

Dr. Williams practices at Boca Raton
Community Hospital in Boca Raton, Fla.

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