The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has received $1 million from the Judd Hill Foundation to improve health care, research and education in Northeast Arkansas -- cancer treatment, in particular.
The foundation pledged $1 million to establish the Judd Hill Foundation Fund for Excellence in support of the UAMS Northeast Regional Campus and cancer patients in the region, according to UAMS. The Fund for Excellence will invest in the highest priorities of the campus, including support for education, research, campus improvements, and clinical care, especially for cancer patients in the Delta, connecting them with local resources and care providers.
"I would like to thank the Judd Hill Foundation for its continued support of UAMS, helping us to advance the most critical initiatives of the institution," Dr. Cam Patterson, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health, said in a news release following Thursday's announcement in Jonesboro. "This support of UAMS' mission-critical work will leave a legacy that will endure well into the future and will have a profound impact on the lives of the people in Northeast Arkansas."
UAMS continues to work for National Cancer Institute designation, and the NCI expects "designated cancer centers to fully engage their catchment area, which for us is the state of Arkansas," including "geographically challenging areas such as rural settings along the Mississippi Delta," Dr. Michael Birrer, director of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, said in the news release. "We are very excited about this generous donation and what it can do for cancer care in this area."
This donation is the latest example of 25-plus years of support for the northeast campus from the Judd Hill Foundation, established in 1991 through the estate of Esther Hill Chapin, according to UAMS. The daughter of Judd Hill was a passionate supporter of education and health care, particularly in northeast Arkansas.
"To have a thriving community, we need a healthy community, and I believe UAMS plays a critical role in supporting the growth of Northeast Arkansas," Michael L. Gibson, the foundation's trustee since its inception, said in the release. "The Northeast Regional Campus is incredibly important for Jonesboro and the surrounding area, and the Judd Hill Foundation is extremely proud to support UAMS' mission."
This regional campus dates back to 1979, and it's one of eight UAMS Regional Campuses, a statewide network founded in 1973 to encourage UAMS medical school graduates to remain in Arkansas and help address the state's shortage of primary care physicians, according to UAMS. It serves 10 counties in the region: Clay, Craighead, Cross, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph and Woodruff.
"For many years, UAMS has enjoyed a dedicated partnership with the Judd Hill Foundation in Northeast Arkansas, providing excellent support for all UAMS' mission areas as well as rural health care," Dr. Richard Turnage, vice chancellor for Regional Campuses, noted in the release. "This latest gift is a testament to the foundation's long-term commitment to health care, for which we are deeply humbled."
Earlier this year, UAMS announced it reached its goal of raising $30 million in private donations to support its effort to become a National Cancer Institute, and only 72 cancer centers in the nation have the National Cancer Institute designation. UAMS projects NCI status will create about 1,500 jobs and have an annual economic impact of $72 million to the state.
UAMS plans to submit its application for National Cancer Institute designation this year or next, according to Patterson.
More than two-thirds of funds awarded by NCI for research and clinical trials go to NCI-designated centers, and many NCI community outreach and program grants are offered only to NCI-designated cancer centers, according to UAMS.
"Our niche" when applying for NCI status will be "rural -- Arkansas is a rural state -- and undeserved areas," particularly the Delta, according to Birrer. He said he is intent on supplying cancer care to all areas of the state, including rural, impoverished regions like the Delta where that is "challenging."