Menu IT TAKES A VILLAGE: COLLABORATING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH CANCER Despite new discoveries and improvements in the care of people with cancer, there's still a significant need for scientific advancement in this area. At Merck, we have made it our mission to help address this need through innovative research. The need for further study is particularly true of bladder cancer, the ninth most common cancer in the world. Bladder cancers are divided into various types depending on the type of cells that become cancerous. The most common type is urothelial (transitional cell) carcinoma, which most often starts in the urothelial cells lining the inside of the bladder. If not caught early enough, bladder cancer can become invasive and spread to other organs, making it a particularly complex condition to treat. And, while these patients have more treatment options than ever before, they are still limited. Our bladder cancer team has dedicated itself to researching the unmet needs of patients. In the case of our bladder cancer clinical development program, the concept of “it takes a village” has never been more evident. Working across functions – and continents – the team has worked tirelessly and collaboratively to uncover solutions and help patients with advanced urothelial bladder cancer. We invited members of the team to share perspective on what drives them to deliver on Merck’s mission. Markus Puhlmann, Scientific Associate Vice President, Clinical Research “With few options, people with an advanced bladder cancer diagnosis often face difficult treatment decisions. We are driven to do everything we can to help patients.” “Merck is more than a pharmaceutical company – it’s a group of dedicated experts working collaboratively toward delivering on our important mission of helping save lives.” Fabio Mataveli, GU Indication Lead “It’s not only about collaboration, it’s about passion and commitment. Everyone on this team is personally committed to helping those living with bladder cancer. Because of this, collaboration just happens naturally.” “Every single person on the advanced urothelial bladder cancer team has something important to add. We have to be flexible, shift priorities, and adapt to new situations, but even under this stress, each person knows their contribution is important because the patient is always top-of-mind.” Melissa Shakour, Director, Global Project and Alliance Management “It’s about the patients. Many members of our team keep a picture at their desk of someone they know who has been personally impacted by cancer– it’s a stark reminder that our work can make a tremendous difference to the lives of patients and their loved ones.” “We all invest many hours in our work on bladder cancer. It doesn’t matter where you are within the company, we believe in what we do and that’s why we’re here.” Peggy McCann, Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs “I love working as a member of our collaborative oncology teams. I go home at the end of the day knowing that we are working towards an end goal that may have a tangible impact on someone’s life.” “The work we do is defined by collaboration. We can’t work in silos and all of my work relies on my colleagues in other functions. It’s part of the reason I love my job so much – each of us is a gear among other gears working as a team toward a common goal of helping patients.” Published May 2017 Copyright. © 2009-2017 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Forward-Looking Statement Privacy Terms of Use Site Map