On Oct. 22, Frederick turned to contemporary epidemiology and policy. Drawing on current analysis from the American Cancer Society, where he recently served as interim chief executive officer, he emphasized the sheer scope of the challenge — more than two million new cancer diagnoses projected in the United States in 2025 — and the unacceptable persistence of disparities by race, geography, and age.

Frederick highlighted sharp inequities, including higher cancer incidence among Black men, a 40% higher breast cancer mortality rate for Black women compared to white women despite lower incidence, and elevated mortality in non-metropolitan counties where patients often live far from oncologists.

Frederick also called attention to rising cancer incidence among adults in their 30s, driven by multifactorial risks and too-often delayed detection. Barriers to timely, effective care, such as finances, transportation and lodging needs, and bias within systems, demand coordinated responses, he argued.

Frederick pointed to tangible progress through policy and advocacy, ranging from state-level laws eliminating out-of-pocket costs for breast imaging and prostate cancer screening among high-risk men to large-scale research cohorts designed to illuminate drivers of risk and outcomes for populations historically left behind. These efforts, he said, demonstrate how data, policy, and patient-centered practice can move in concert to narrow gaps and improve survival for everyone.

Across both lectures, Frederick’s throughline was clear: Excellence and equity are inseparable. Empathy must be operationalized — in bedside care, institutional policy, resource allocation, research priorities, and cross-sector partnerships — so that health systems measure success not only by procedures performed, but by barriers removed and trust earned.

“True moral leadership,” Frederick noted, “touches hearts, builds trust, and inspires others to imagine and create a better future.”

The Schlager Family Lectureship provided a fitting forum for that message, connecting Harvard’s academic community with Howard University’s long-standing commitment to producing clinicians and leaders who match scientific rigor with human-centered care.