Top leaders from the campus and UCSF Medical Center gathered at Mount Zion on November 19 to commemorate the official naming of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.

At the official naming ceremony of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mount Zion are, back row, left to right, Sanford Diller, Peter Carroll, MD, Chancellor J. Michael Bishop, MD, Frank McCormick, PhD; front row, Helen Diller and her granddaughter.

Chancellor J. Michael Bishop, MD, began by noting that the occasion was a celebration to debut a new name for the cancer center and a tribute to Helen Diller.

"Helen Diller believes that inspiring education and scientific discovery can help transform the world, and this is evident in her philosophy and practice," Bishop said. "In recognition of her life and accomplishments, we are pleased to rename the cancer center in her honor. The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center works at the leading edge in all areas of cancer research and patient care, and the new name will be synonymous with this new era of cancer discovery."

A sign bearing the new name was revealed at a mid-day ceremony at UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion, 1600 Divisadero St., where the majority of cancer services are provided.

"This is a tremendous honor for me and my family, and I am proud to have my name associated with one of the leading health care institutions in the country," said Diller. "I know that the thousands of patients who come here will benefit from the expertise and care that is a trademark of UCSF, and discoveries made here also will benefit scientists, clinicians and patients around the world. It is thrilling to think about the potential global impact on quality of life."

The mission of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is to accelerate the pace at which research discoveries are translated into new ways of detecting, treating and preventing cancer.

"Under the new name, investigators from many different disciplines will work closely together to propel our cancer program to a new level," said Frank McCormick, PhD, FRS, director of the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. "We are working to identify genes and environmental factors that put people at risk for cancer."

"It’s never too early, too late or too often to give back," said Diller, who thanked her husband, Sanford, for his support.

To learn more about the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, contact Ann Carollo at 415/502-2404 or acarollo@support.ucsf.edu.