Arthur G. James

Arthur G. James once said, “All cancer will eventually be wiped out; there’s no doubt about that, I don’t know how long it will take, but… I’m sure that day is coming.” That belief coupled with his dedication to the idea that cancer patients need separate, specialized care, led James to lobby, campaign, and fundraise for thirty-five years to build a cancer hospital in central Ohio. The official ribbon cutting of the James Cancer Hospital, as it is now commonly known, was Tuesday, January 16, 1990, at which the announcement, much to the surprise of James, was made that the hospital would officially be named The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute in his honor. The cancer hospital and research institute are now known as Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and are part of The Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Childhood

James was born Arthur David Giangiacomo (meaning son of James) on March 14, 1912 in Rhodesdale, Ohio, a small mining town that no longer exists in Belmont County.

James was the third of eight children of Italian immigrants. His father was a coal miner who later owned a grocery store. As a boy, James worked in the family store, learning all phases of the business and helping to deliver groceries – first in a horse-drawn cart and later in a pickup truck.

Education

James's first education was in a one room schoolhouse in Belmont County, Ohio. He later went to a somewhat larger two room school in a small community called Uniontown near Saint Clairsville, Ohio (not to be confused with the larger Uniontown, Ohio) which he went to from third to eighth grade. During high school, he went to St. Clairsville High School, which he graduated from in 1930 as co-valedictorian. He attended The Ohio State University (OSU), eventually earning three degrees: a bachelor’s in 1934, a master’s in surgery and a medical degree, both in 1937.

James did his medical internship at the University of Chicago and spent his second year as a surgical intern at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. He then returned to OSU Hospital and completed his three-year residency in general surgery. At OSU, he served as chief resident from 1941-42.

After completing his surgical residency, James wishing to continue training in the field of cancer, applied for and was accepted as a Fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) – then known as Memorial Hospital – in New York City. His fellowship began July 1, 1942 but just six weeks later he was called into service for World War II with the 65th General Hospital, which he has joined while at Duke University. James served forty-three months in the Army Medical Corps as a major, twenty-two of which were in the European Theatre at the Duke University Army General Hospital. After the war he returned to MSKCC and completed his fellowship.

James went back to The Ohio State University in 1947 as an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery. He remained at OSU for the rest of his career, working his way up to full professor and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology. James was also the first to hold the Lucius A. Wing Chair of Cancer Research and Therapy.

Family

In 1940, James married Mildred "Millie" Cameron. They had two children, David and Cameron.

Awards and leadership

During his life, James served on the board of directors for the Columbus Cancer Clinic and also served as their medical director. He served as the national president of the American Cancer Society from 1972-73. In 1987 James was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.

Death

At the age of 89, on October 22, 2001, James died of Parkinson's disease.

References

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