BCAN Awards $250,000 to Continue to Improve Patient Outcomes

April 8, 2026

Grant supports research focused on access, quality and patient experience

(Bethesda, MD) – Today, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) announced the recipient of its inaugural 2025 Patient-Centered Clinical Research Award (PCCRA). This $250,000 award accelerates rigorous, patient-focused studies that improve the understanding, treatment and lived experiences of people with bladder cancer.

This year’s recipient, Parth K. Modi, MD, MS, is an Associate Professor of Surgery and urologic oncologist at the University of Chicago Medicine. His research focuses on health care policy and the bladder cancer workforce, including how to improve bladder cancer care delivery across the United States through the expanding role of advanced practice providers.

“For more than 21 years, BCAN has worked tirelessly to improve outcomes for people impacted by bladder cancer – from advancing research to expanding access to care and support,” said Meri-Margaret Deoudes, CEO of BCAN. “This research will help us better understand the role of advanced practice providers, further incorporate patient perspective and improve how care is organized and delivered.”

The first-ever PCCRA, valued at $250,000 over three years, is part of BCAN’s ongoing commitment to creating better todays and more tomorrows for bladder cancer patients and those who love them. It supports faculty who are building or growing careers in patient-centered clinical research, including work on shared decision making, access and quality of care, quality of life, health disparities, comparative effectiveness, patient outcomes and survivorship.

Dr. Modi said, “Advanced practice providers play an essential and growing role on the bladder cancer care team, yet there remains a significant gap in our understanding of how to optimally integrate their expertise into patient care. This award enables us to go directly to the source, asking patients what they want and providers what they need, so we can develop a workforce model that enhances access, improves convenience, and upholds the highest standards of quality for bladder cancer patients.”

The Patient-Centered Clinical Research Award reflects BCAN’s broader commitment to improving how care is delivered and experienced by patients. By supporting research that addresses real-world challenges in access, coordination and quality, the organization continues to drive meaningful progress for patients and families impacted by bladder cancer.

The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, or BCAN, was founded in 2005 and provides patients with the critical information and community support they need to thrive today – and champions innovative research and responsive national policy to inspire hope for tomorrow.

Contact:
Mark Story
Vice President of Communications and Marketing
[email protected]
301-215-9099, x208