“Backwater to Blockbuster,” the first de novo book published by the Cancer History Project, traces the evolution of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to its current status of a powerhouse of research in pediatric cancer.

In a conversation moderated by Deborah Doroshow, the book’s co-authors Charles J. Sherr and William E. Evans discuss how their book project began, and their collaborative writing process.

As long-time leaders, Sherr and Evans were a part of the institution’s rise and thus speak authoritatively about the institutional culture, leadership philosophy, and scientific ambition that shaped St. Jude.

Sherr, who joined St. Jude in 1983, served as chair of Tumor Cell Biology Department and Herrick Foundation Endowed Chair at St. Jude. Evans first came to St. Jude as a student in 1972 and served in many key positions including that of St. Jude’s fifth director and CEO.

Their book, published by the Cancer History Project, is available at no charge here: https://cancerhistoryproject.com/primary-source/backwater-to-blockbuster-st-jude-children-research-hospital/ .

Doroshow, a medical historian and an associate professor of medicine at the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, guides a discussion, exploring how Sherr and Evans approached the story of the rise of St. Jude from their different professional and personal perspectives, ultimately coming together to co-author a dual memoir and institutional history.

The Cancer History Project Podcast is sponsored by City of Hope, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.