The UH Cancer Center’s new state-of-the-art Early Phase Clinical Research Center, which provides access to phase 1 clinical trials for cancer patients in Hawaiʻi so they do not have to travel to the continental U.S. for specialized treatments, is the recipient of a $125,000 donation from the First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH) Charitable Foundation.
- Related UH News story: UH Cancer Center receives $6.5M for stateʻs first cutting edge research clinic, September 26, 2019
FICOH President and CEO Jeff Shonka said, “As a Hawaiʻi company and employer, we feel it is imperative for us to invest in research that will have tangible benefits for our community. So many people in Hawaiʻi are personally impacted by cancer each year. This is our way of helping find new lifesaving treatments and therapies for our families, neighbors and friends.”
“Phase 1 clinical trials represent the cutting edge of cancer treatments and are often considered when patients have a particularly challenging form of cancer or when standard treatments have been unsuccessful,” said UH Cancer Center Director Randall Holcombe. “In a state where approximately 7,100 people are diagnosed each year with cancer, the stakes are high, and we are so grateful to FICOH for their commitment to our center and the state.”
A clinical trial is a research study testing the safety and effectiveness of new treatments for cancer. Every cancer-fighting drug and therapy available to doctors today were tested in a clinical trial before it could be used routinely on patients. However, because the environments, ethnicities and cultures of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific are unique, so are the needs of cancer patients in our region.
The Early Phase Clinical Research Center will complement drug discovery programs already in place within the Cancer Center focused on identifying unique-to-Hawaiʻi compounds derived from natural products with anti-cancer activity. It represents an opportunity to translate basic laboratory discoveries into novel treatments for patients.
“The Early Phase Clinical Research Center will radically expand the clinical trials options for the people of Hawaiʻi and improve our community’s quality of life as cancer patients and their families will have access to the care they need,” said UH Foundation President and CEO Tim Dolan. “We are grateful for FICOH’s philanthropic partnership and their support of this vibrant clinical research center.”
To learn more about the cancer research and clinical trials taking place at the UH Cancer Center, and how you can support these efforts, contact UH Cancer Center Director of Development Lynne Wooddell at Lynne.Wooddell@uhfoundation.org or (808) 356-5757.
This is an example of UH Mānoa’s goal of Excellence in Research: Advancing the Research and Creative Work Enterprise (PDF), one of four goals identified in the 2015–25 Strategic Plan (PDF), updated in December 2020.
