Dr. Fred Kass, an oncologist and breast cancer specialist at UCLA Health Santa Barbara Cancer Care, was named 2024 Physician of the Year for Santa Barbara County by the Central Coast Medical Association. The award is given annually to a local physician who exemplifies leadership in improving the quality of health care, educating fellow physicians and serving the broader community.
Kass also received the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara’s inaugural Healing Though Compassion Award. The new award, named in Kass’ honor, was established to recognize individuals whose commitment transcends medical expertise and shows exceptional dedication to interagency collaboration, compassionate healing, volunteerism and excellence in the treatment and holistic care of breast cancer patients.
He is also an assistant clinical professor of hematology and oncology at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Before joining UCLA Health, Kass served as director of medical oncology and director of wellness at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, where he practiced for more than three decades. He has also held leadership positions on numerous community boards, including the Santa Barbara Breast Care Alliance, Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara, Doctors Without Walls and VNA Health.
The Central Coast Medical Association is a 600-physician member organization that includes doctors of all specialties throughout Santa Barbara and San Lous Obispo counties. The Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara is a community resource center that provides free services to those who are newly diagnosed, in treatment, living with metastatic cancer or navigating life after cancer treatment.
