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Chapel Hill, NC – Carmina G. Valle, MPH, is the recipient of the first Marci Kramish Campbell Dissertation Award, a competitive $5,000 award to recognize excellence in dissertation research focused on cancer and the population sciences.

Valle is a PhD student in the Department of Nutrition at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health who has extensive professional experience at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), both with the Office of Cancer Survivorship and the Analytic Epidemiology Research Branch. From 2002-2004 she was a Presidential Management Fellow at the NCI. She is a previous recipient of a UNC Lineberger Cancer Control Education Program Predoctoral Fellowship, the Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service Award from the Department of Nutrition, and the Caroline and Thomas Royster, Jr., Multi-Year Fellowship from The Graduate School at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Her dissertation examines the feasibility and effectiveness of using online social networking to improve physical activity behaviors among young adult cancer survivors (between the ages of 18 and 39). Young adult cancer survivors are at increased risk for second cancers, recurrence, psychological distress and other issues as a result of their cancer and treatment. Previous research shows that regular physical activity can lower risk and enhance these survivors’ quality of life and length of survival.

This award honors Marci Kramish Campbell, PhD, a national leader in cancer prevention and control, disparities and survivorship research who was a faculty member at UNC-Chapel Hill and a program leader at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. She was an exceptional mentor who died much too soon from colon cancer in December, 2011.

The award is funded by donations from Dr. Campbell’s family, friends and colleagues. The goal is to endow this award to create a permanent legacy in Dr. Campbell’s honor. Contributions may be made payable to UNC Lineberger and mailed to Campus Box #7295, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7295.