On Cancer: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Debuts Television Commercials

We recently launched our first-ever television advertising campaign, which offers a sense of the passion and compassion that defines how we care for people with cancer.  

“In these commercials, our doctors and nurses share – in their own words – what makes the care here so extraordinary,” says Ellen Sonet, Vice President of Marketing. “They reveal emotional stories of their work, illustrate the importance of a personalized approach for each patient, and explain what it’s like to work in an organization solely devoted to cancer care, research, and education.”

The commercials, directed by documentary filmmaker Henry Corra, were shot as unscripted conversations in which the clinicians discussed their relationships with patients, their team approach to treatment, and the personal meaning of their careers. 

In the ads:

• Orthopaedic surgeon John Healey notes the specialized care that people with sarcoma – cancer of the bone or muscle – receive at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. “I live for the opportunity to cure this disease,” he says.
• Pediatric oncologist Leonard Wexler and nurse practitioner Carol Rossetto discuss the teamwork required to care for children who have cancer. Referring to a child with eye cancer who needed to receive treatment immediately, Ms. Rossetto says, “We made it happen.”
• Gynecologic oncologist Dennis Chi tells the story of a woman he treated who had recurrent cancer and feared she wouldn’t survive. “We cured her,” he says.

“When you sense the passion of our staff and understand the ways they collaborate in caring for patients, you can better appreciate what makes this such an incredible institution,” Ms. Sonet says.

These three commercials are airing on television stations in the New York City area through late 2012. You can also watch the ads online, along with three short videos in which doctors and nurses highlight distinctive aspects of Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s approach to treating patients: caring, focus, and teamwork.