OSI Connect is the Osteosarcoma Institute’s free, easy-to-use resource for patients who have been diagnosed with osteosarcoma or suffered a relapse after initial treatment. In this OsteoBites episode, you will meet Lee J. Helman, MD, Director of the OSI and Chelsey Blanks, OSI Connect Administrator. You will learn how OSI Connect works and examples of how the program has helped more than 70 patients since its launch in 2019.
Lee J. Helman, MD has been studying the biology and caring for pediatric patients with sarcomas for over thirty years. Dr. Helman completed his post-doctoral training at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). He then became Head of the Molecular Oncology Section, Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI, in 1993. He served as Chief of the Pediatric Oncology Branch from 1997-2007 and served as Scientific Director for Clinical Research in the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute from 2007 to 2016. He joined Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and the University of Southern California (USC) in 2017 as the Section Head of Basic and Translational Research within the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute (CBDI) and the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation. He remains an adjunct professor at CHLA. He has also trained many investigators in the field of pediatric sarcomas over the course of his career. He is currently focusing on improving outcomes in osteosarcoma as the Director of the Osteosarcoma Institute.
As the Osteosarcoma Institute Operations Manager, Chelsey Blanks schedules meetings for the board, oversees various operational aspects of the organization (including HR, IT, and office management), facilitates the grant cycle, and manages OSI Connect (formerly OSI Hotline) that offers free expert advice for osteosarcoma patients and families no matter where they are in their journey. Although Chelsey is Texan through and through, she spent six years living in Southern California and was thrilled to return to the homeland with her husband, Jordan, at the end of 2019. Chelsey obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of North Texas, where she studied Sociology, Philosophy, and Dance. Previously, she had an insurance and financial services career and was an Executive Assistant for her church in Orange County, California.
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