KU Cancer Center Receives $143 Million For State-Of-The-Art Facility

The University of Kansas and The University of Kansas Health System announced Tuesday the Sunderland Foundation will gift $100 million for the development of a new destination cancer center.

The new facility will be located on the 39th and Rainbow campus. It will be built in phases, to break ground on the first phase by the earliest in the fall of 2024.

Currently, KU cancer labs and researchers are scattered across multiple campuses in the Kansas City metro area and Lawrence. This new facility will offer expanded space for patient care and cancer research.

The donation from the Sunderland Foundation will go down in history as not only the largest donation made by the Kansas City-based foundation, it is also now the largest lead gift ever to be received by the University of Kansas.

“We believe The University of Kansas Cancer Center is poised to change cancer research and care for generations,” Sunderland Foundation trustee Charlie said. “Giving people the opportunity to receive such a high level of quality cancer treatment close to home is a gift like no other. I’m grateful for the foundation’s role in making this possible.” 

Sunderland was also the former chair of The University of Kansas Hospital Authority Board’s Quality Committee.

In addition to the $100 million gift, a further $43 million was secured by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.) earlier this year as part of the Congressionally-directed spending to plan for the new cancer facility.

“The funding provided by the Sunderland Foundation, combined with the appropriation secured by Senator Moran, will enable the KU Cancer Center to enhance its work in research and patient care while fulfilling its duty to provide public education and outreach programs, especially to diverse communities and high-risk populations,” KU Chancellor Douglas Girod said.

Read the full news release, here.

Posted June 28, 2023.