University of Hawaii Cancer Center Receives $2.5 Million Grant for Statewide Care

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded a $2.5 million grant to the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, the University of Hawaii System reported. The funding will support the expansion of cancer care, clinical research, and specialist training across the islands through a statewide initiative named Ka ʻUmeke Lama. [1]

According to the University of Hawaii System, geography frequently prevents patients in Hawaiʻi from receiving timely cancer care. The initiative aims to address these barriers by advancing innovative treatments and early detection methods to improve patient outcomes throughout the Pacific region. [1]

The Ka ʻUmeke Lama program was originally launched in 2024 in partnership with the John A. Burns School of Medicine. The new $2.5 million award builds on a previous funding contribution of $1.2 million provided by the Helmsley Charitable Trust, as the University of Hawaii System reported. [1]

The grant funds will directly target reducing the overall cancer burden across Hawaiʻi. By expanding specialist training and local clinical research, the initiative works to ensure residents on all islands can access needed oncology services closer to home. [1]