The Cancer History Project highlights the contributions of Ahmedin Jemal and Isaac Craig Henderson

Ahmedin Jemal grew up in the 1960s and 70s in the small town of Butajira, Ethiopia, about 80 miles south of Addis Ababa. The town had no running water, no electricity. Drinking water­—for the family and their cattle—came from streams, where the family also washed their clothes.

Ahmedin and his ten siblings spent their time pitching in on the family farm, with chores such as plowing (traditionally, with oxen), herding cattle, and doing whatever work was needed to support the family.

Neither his father, a farmer and a merchant, nor his mother had any formal education. Both were illiterate. Yet they encouraged their children, above all, to invest in their studies.

“My father would say, ‘The only thing I can give you is education.’ My Mom, especially when I was in high school, didn’t want me to do anything but study,” Jemal said. (Although he played for the school soccer team!)

His parent’s commitment paid off. Seven of Jemal’s ten siblings have a Bachelor of Science degree. Several went on to earn doctoral degrees.

And Ahmedin? Ahmedin Jemal holds two doctoral degrees. Colleagues describe him as “brilliant,” “extraordinary,” and “delightful.” He is a globally respected cancer researcher, a prolific author, and one who leads the creation of perhaps the most highly cited suite of cancer-related publications around the world, the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts & Figures, and the companion statistics articles published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Isaac Craig Henderson, MD, passed away at the age of 81 at his home in San Francisco on Dec. 26, 2022, after a brief illness. Dr. Henderson was an internationally known medical oncologist who specialized in breast cancer, beginning his career at Harvard’s then-designated Sidney Farber Cancer Institute (now the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute). He made substantial conceptual and leadership contributions to the translational and clinical research, evaluation, and treatment of this disease over the last 5 decades.

With his long-time colleague, Dr. Joe Gray, he was the inaugural co-director of one of the first five Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in breast cancer. The UCSF SPORE has now been renewed through 14 continuous 5-year cycles. He was an adjunct professor of medicine at UCSF until his death.