Apple’s Cook invited to talk cancer and corporate America at NCCN Annual Conference

9to5 Staff | Feb 22 2012 - 6:04 am PT

Apple’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook was invited to take part in a roundtable discussion at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s annual conference on clinical practice guidelines and quality cancer care. This year’s agenda centers around the topic of “Cancer and Corporate America: Business as Usual?” The five-day discussion begins March 15 in Hollywood, Fla., and ABC News anchor Sam Donaldson will moderate it. The NCNN website listed Cook as an invitee, but there is no guarantee that Apple’s CEO will participate. The fact that a reputable organization invited him means Cook was informed of the conference in advance. A history of late Steve Jobs’ illness gives some hope that Cook will contribute to the discussion. Other invites include doctors, cancer survivors, and other corporate figures, including IBM’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources J. Randall MacDonald.

Whether Cook will take part as a private person or as the CEO of Apple remains unknown, though it is possible he will discuss how Apple can give to medical research. The executive revealed at a recent internal meeting with employees that Apple donated $50 million to Stanford University hospitals, split into $25 million for a new main building and $25 million for a new children’s hospital.

(via The TechBlock)

Tim Cook, who presided over Apple’s supply chain for years in his op-chief capacity, occasionally managed the company on a day-to-day basis during Jobs’ medical leaves of absence. Following Jobs’ resignation on Aug. 24, 2011, Cook became the CEO per Apple’s succession planning. Jobs passed away at his Palo Alto on Oct. 5, a day after the public iPhone 4S launch. The official cause of death was respiratory arrest caused by his years-long battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer.