Dear Colleagues,
Today marks a monumental stride in the fight against cancer in Oklahoma. It is with immense joy that we announce the expansion of OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center to Tulsa – a landmark moment not only for the University of Oklahoma and OU Health, but for all Oklahomans.
Starting this summer, Stephenson Cancer Center providers will begin seeing patients and conducting clinical trials in Tulsa. Plans are also in motion to build a state-of-the-art facility at OU-Tulsa, extending the most advanced, research-driven cancer care and life-saving clinical trials exclusively offered at Stephenson Cancer Center to the people of northeastern Oklahoma.
As Oklahoma’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center, Stephenson stands at the forefront of cancer research and treatment. NCI designation is universally revered as the gold standard of cancer care and research, bestowed upon only 2% of cancer centers nationwide. Statistics show that patients receiving care at NCI-designated cancer centers have up to 25% improved survival one year after diagnosis – a remarkable finding that underscores the significance of where one seeks cancer treatment.
At a time when Oklahoma grapples with the nation’s fourth-highest cancer mortality rate, today’s announcement couldn’t be timelier. Since 2011, Stephenson Cancer Center has been a beacon of hope for thousands of Oklahomans from its location at OU Health Sciences in Oklahoma City. But with over 100 miles standing between Tulsans and NCI-level care, this distance is far too great a barrier for most. Despite representing one-third of our state’s population, northeastern Oklahomans have the lowest participation rate in clinical trials, while the demand for cancer care in this region is poised to surge by 13% over the next decade. Today’s announcement will undoubtedly reverse these trends, saving countless lives and enhancing care for even more Oklahomans.
Many years of effort paved the way to this momentous day. It epitomizes the realization of a vision set forth in 2001, when the Oklahoma Legislature passed bipartisan legislation mandating the establishment of a statewide cancer network. It brings full circle the steadfast belief of Tulsans Peggy and Charlie Stephenson, whose transformative generosity laid the foundation for the cancer center in Oklahoma City, and now, its expansion to Green Country. Our gratitude also abounds for the significant contribution from the Cherokee Nation, without whom today’s milestone would have been impossible. Stephenson’s expansion to Tulsa also is facilitated by public-private partnerships, including an initial $50 million appropriation by the Legislature from the American Rescue Plan Act and the state general revenue fund to the University Hospitals Authority and Trust (UHAT).
As Oklahoma’s flagship academic health system, expanding Stephenson Cancer Center to Tulsa is the responsibility we owe our state. Yet, for those of us whose lives and loved ones have been personally impacted by the disease of cancer, this extension promises to make an enduring difference – a difference that may well span a lifetime.
Live On, University,
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
President
Richard Lofgren, M.D., MPH
President and CEO
OU Health
