Steering Committee Member

breast cancer survivor and advocate
USC Norris Cancer Survivorship Advisory Council CHAIR

Mary Aalto is a breast cancer survivor and advocate who collaborates with USC researchers to provide the patient perspective during the development and implementation of breast cancer research projects. She has served as a Consumer Reviewer for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) and the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP). Mary chairs the USC Norris Cancer Survivorship Advisory Council (CSAC), a volunteer organization comprised of cancer survivors committed to improving the quality of patient care through advocacy, education, and support for the advancement of cancer research. She also manages the Jennifer Diamond Cancer Resource Library (the patient education center at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center) as the Volunteer Library Coordinator and is the creator/organizer of the Patient Perspective Series for USC Norris and Keck Medicine of USC, an ongoing series of more than fifty live, one-hour lunchtime events showcasing health care topics from the vantage point of the patient.