Lawrence S. Frankel, M.D.

The American Cancer Society reports that “Although the absolute number of deaths due to cancer in children and adolescents is low relative to adults, the toll in terms of potential years lost is high, and cancer remains the second leading cause of death among Texas children ages 1 to 14 years.”

For more than 25 years today’s Frank W. Mayborn Humanitarian Award recipient has dedicated his professional life to giving pediatric cancer victims “hope and encouragement in the face of a devastating and often life-threatening disease.”

Dr. Lawrence S. Frankel began preparing in earnest for his lifelong calling at the State University of New York at Buffalo where he earned his medical degree in 1970. From there he had a medical and pediatric internship at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

From 1973 to 1976 he did his pediatric residency at Baylor University affiliated hospitals in Houston. In 1975-1976 he had a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the the University of Texas System Cancer Center, M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute in Houston where he also was an American Cancer Society Clinical Research Fellow.

After completing a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Shand’s Teaching Hospital, University of Florida in Gainesville, he worked at the University of Texas System Cancer Center, M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute in Houston, where he was the director of the leukemia service from 1977 to 1984.

It was in 1984 that Dr. Frankel came to Temple where he established a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Division at Scott and White.

At Scott and White, he set up and developed the Pediatric Hematol-ogy/Oncology subspecialty service, including qualifying the program for membership in the Pediatric Oncology Group so that pediatric cancer patients would be provided with state-of-the-art treatment.

Dr. Frankel also established the Pediatric Hemophilia and Sickle Cell programs, including national participation in these groups. At Scott and White, the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology service serves about 120 new patients a year (20-25 of whom are Oncology patients) and provides service for children ages birth to young adult in a 100-mile radius of Temple. According to Dr. Don P. Wilson, Professor and Chairman, Scott and White’s Children’s Health Center, in his letter of nomination of Dr. Frankel:

Dr. Frankel came to the Central Texas area some 16 years ago as a pioneer in establishing unique service for children with cancer. His initial goals were to:

1. Provide comprehensive care for children, infants and young adults with cancer, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia and other hematological disorders by developing and maintaining a cancer center that provides for physical, emotional and financial care.
2. To seek a cure for childhood cancer through establishing basic and translational research, as well as participation in national clinical pediatric cancer trials.
3. To establish a healthcare environment which families of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds will accept as a ‘medical home’ for their children.

Dr. Frankel’s “treatment” of his patients has gone beyond the confines of the office and treatment rooms of the hospital and clinic. During his time at Scott and White he has:

• Developed and still organizes (with the help of staff) an annual Pediatric Hematology/Oncology picnic at Temple’s Lions Park which provides time for staff and families of patients to meet, talk, have fun and interact outside the hospital.
• Developed a psychosocial team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers and child life and pharmacy staff which meets weekly to discuss patients’ physical and emotional support.
• Established the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fund for patient financial support. It provides:
  1. Funding for the annual picnic and an annual Christmas party at Peaceable Kingdom.
  2. Funding for college scholarships for patients.
  3. Donations to the Children’s Miracle Network.
  4. Funding for patients to attend the Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology camp for one week each summer.
• Arranged for his patients to participate in summer camps.
• Served as camp doctor for summer camps.
• Developed and initially ran all aspects of an art project to design and sell Christmas cards, t-shirts, magnets and buttons designed by children with cancer to raise funds for the Scott & White Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fund. The project, which has grown to include 2-3 support staff is now called Designs of Hope — A Children’s Project.

In addition to serving on numerous professional boards and committees while maintaining his practice at Scott and White, Dr. Frankel has served as the medical advisor on the Ronald McDonald House board since 1987. He also has been very active in the American Cancer Society and was elected president of the American Cancer Society, Texas Division.

Dr. Frankel has received numerous awards and accolades for his work including the Service to Mankind Award from the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Leukemia Society of America (1986); Road Scholar Award from the Scott and White Department of Pediatrics (1998); Courage Award for Adults from the American Cancer Society, Texas Division (1999); and On Behalf of Youth Camp Fire Boys and Girls Award, Camp Fire Boys and Girls (2000). Dr. Wilson points out that Dr.

Frankel has been able to contribute something to his patients in another way. “Himself the victim of kidney cancer, Dr. Frankel is a survivor. . . . He has been a phenomenal role model in providing a very positive ‘can do’ image for children and adolescents with cancer.

Certainly Dr. Lawrence S. Frankel is a most deserving recipient of the 2002 Frank W. Mayborn Humanitarian Award.

- - from award program Tuesday, November 12, 2002