UH Cancer Center receives $2.5 million grant to expand cancer care statewide

The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center in Honolulu has received a $2.5 million grant to alleviate geographic barriers for cancer patients and advance care across the islands.

The grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust was awarded to Ka ʻUmeke Lama, a statewide initiative that expands oncology care, clinical research and specialist training.

Ka ʻUmeke Lama was launched in 2024 in partnership with the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

“Every cancer patient, regardless of what island they call home, deserves access to world-class, timely care,” said Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust in a news release. “Helmsley is proud to partner with the UH Cancer Center to eliminate geographical barriers, expand healthcare capacity and ensure high-quality care reaches every corner of the state.”

For residents on neighbor islands and in rural communities, a cancer diagnosis often means long-distance travel, fragmented care and limited access to clinical trials. These factors drive disparities in cancer outcomes, particularly among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations.

A recent study by the UH Cancer Center found that Hawai‘i residents spent at least $230 million on out-of-state cancer care from 2021 to 2023. Compounding the issue, Hawaiʻi has historically lacked an in-state, accredited fellowship, forcing local doctors to leave the state for specialized training.

“By establishing our state’s first medical oncology fellowship and expanding patient navigation and precision medicine, we can retain local talent and bring specialized care directly to rural communities,” said Dr. Naoto T. Ueno, director of the UH Cancer Center.

The Helmsley trust previously awarded a $1.2 million grant to UH to launch the center’s Ho‘ōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center.