Shawn Elizabeth George has never backed down from a challenge. As an author, speaker, wellness educator, and mother of three, she has always faced adversity head-on with creativity, compassion, and hope. So when she was diagnosed with ACC in 2017, she knew that a greater purpose could come from an incredibly difficult situation.
After having a partial maxillectomy and receiving proton beam radiation and low dose chemotherapy to treat her ACC, Shawn wasted no time finding ways to engage with fellow ACC patients and make a difference. She soon became involved with ACCRF and it didn’t take her long to become an active and beloved member of the community.
Shawn has been a constant source of support and positivity for other people living with ACC. She is always available to listen, talk, and share her own experiences with treating and managing the disease, and she is an unfailing resource for navigating the day-to-day challenges of ACC. This has informed her advocacy for patients, leading her to sit on a patient panel for the 2023 Boston Head and Neck Cancer Symposium as well as championing legislation to improve insurance coverage for all ACC patients needing obturators and other dental devices.
She has been an equally dedicated champion of ACC research, organizing multiple dodgeball tournament fundraisers in her community that have generated over $20,000 for ACCRF’s efforts and running the 2024 New York Marathon in support of ACC research. Shawn has even donated tumor tissue to help further research into new treatments for ACC.
As Shawn says of her efforts, “I have found that our struggles can often lead us to our greater purpose. Someone has to go through the experience to help those next in line. I pray to use my time, energy and resources to help our ACC family so that one day when anyone hears the words “you have ACC,” they will also hear about the effective treatments – and one day a cure – for their diagnosis.”
Shawn’s dedication, sacrifice, and undeniable heart have been an invaluable resource to the entire ACC community. At every turn, she exemplifies the hope and generosity that is at the core of ACCRF and our network of patients, researchers, and advocates. We are incredibly grateful for her remarkable work, and we are proud to call her a patient champion!