Oncologist Dr. Tony Fields is known for visionary leadership in cancer care.
During his decades-long career as a physician, educator, researcher and administrator, one of his goals was to provide patients with care as close to home as possible. This led to the development of Alberta’s Community Cancer Network, expanding access to chemotherapy treatments through a network of 11 community cancer centres across the province.
Dr. Fields has been called the “father” of cancer-related health technology assessment in Canada for his contributions to the planning and implementation of the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review, which provides recommendations to guide cancer drug funding decisions. He also helped design and implement Canada’s national cancer control strategy. He was one of a handful of oncologists who established the Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists. In the patient advocacy sphere, he helped to establish the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (which recently merged with Colon Cancer Canada to form Colorectal Cancer Canada).
While maintaining a clinical practice specializing in gastrointestinal cancers, Dr. Fields served in various leadership roles. Notably, he was sequentially director of the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, vice-president of medical affairs and community oncology of the former Alberta Cancer Board and, prior to retiring in 2011, vice-president, cancer care of Alberta Health Services. As well, he was a professor in the department of oncology of the University of Alberta. In 2021, he was selected as MacEwan University’s first chancellor.
Born and raised in Barbados, Dr. Fields emigrated to Canada after studying natural sciences at the University of Cambridge. He graduated from University of Alberta medical school in 1974 and completed his post-graduate training in internal medicine and medical oncology at the University of Toronto.
His contributions to health care have prompted numerous accolades. In Alberta’s centennial year, he was named one of Alberta’s 100 Physicians of the Century, and he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2012.
“Dr. Fields is a renowned oncologist who has dedicated his career — nearly five decades — to ensuring fewer Canadians will receive that diagnosis, and if they do, they receive the best possible care.” — Athana Mentzelopoulos, executive director of the Alberta Medical Association
Dr. Anthony Fields is receiving the F.N.G. Starr Award in recognition of his outstanding and inspiring lifetime achievement.