A landmark investment of over $2.2 million is poised to fundamentally strengthen Hawaiʻi’s health infrastructure, directly addressing long-standing challenges in both advanced medical research and statewide educational capacity. This significant philanthropic infusion, awarded by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to the University of Hawaiʻi, is strategically divided between the UH Cancer Center and the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). The dual-pronged approach aims to enhance patient care and cultivate a robust healthcare workforce, with a profound emphasis on expanding access and ensuring equity for residents in the state’s most rural and underserved communities on the neighbor islands. This initiative represents a cohesive vision to build a more resilient and self-sufficient healthcare ecosystem for the entire state.
A Strategic Infusion for Health and Equity
A Philanthropic Vision for Accessible Care
The significant investment is deeply aligned with the core mission of the Helmsley Charitable Trust, which is dedicated to improving lives through the support of exceptional health initiatives. As articulated by Trustee Walter Panzirer, the organization is fundamentally committed to helping communities dismantle the barriers that prevent access to adequate medical care. This philanthropic philosophy is anchored in the belief that an individual’s geographical location should never be the determining factor in their health outcomes or opportunities for quality treatment. The two grants awarded to the University of Hawaiʻi are a direct manifestation of this principle, meticulously designed to address critical and specific gaps in both patient care and medical training that exist across the Hawaiian Islands. By funding both a state-of-the-art research center and a comprehensive educational upgrade, the trust is investing in a holistic solution that tackles the root causes of healthcare disparity, from the availability of advanced treatments to the distribution of skilled medical professionals.
Fostering Innovation and Tangible Impact
This dual investment represents far more than a simple financial contribution; it signifies a powerful vote of confidence in the University of Hawaiʻi’s capacity to drive both groundbreaking innovation and tangible, community-level impact. University of Hawaiʻi Foundation CEO Tim Dolan noted that the gifts reflect Helmsley’s profound trust in the university’s ability to deliver results that matter to the people of Hawaiʻi. The initiative thoughtfully addresses the entire healthcare continuum, from pioneering “discovery” in the laboratory to the practical “delivery” of high-quality care and education. By simultaneously funding the creation of a clinical research hub and the enhancement of medical training tools, the investment creates a synergistic effect. It ensures that while new treatments are being developed on Oʻahu, the next generation of physicians is being trained with the best possible resources across all islands, preparing them to serve the diverse needs of the state’s population and ultimately building a stronger, more self-reliant healthcare system for the future.
Transforming Patient Care and Medical Training
Pioneering Cancer Research in the Pacific
The first component of this transformative initiative directs a major grant to the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center for the establishment of the Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center. These funds are designated to cover the essential start-up costs for the new facility, which is slated to open its doors in March 2026 at the center’s Kakaʻako campus. This development represents a monumental leap forward for oncology care within the state. For the first time in Hawaiʻi’s history, local residents will have the opportunity to participate in pioneering, early-stage cancer clinical trials without the need to travel to the mainland. For the approximately 70,000 people living with cancer in Hawaiʻi, this new center will alleviate the immense financial and emotional hardships previously associated with seeking access to these advanced studies. Patients will now be able to remain close to their homes and vital family support systems, which are universally recognized as a critical component of the healing process and overall well-being.
Beyond the immediate and profound benefits for patients and their families, the Hoʻōla Center is strategically positioned to establish Hawaiʻi as a significant hub for advanced oncology research in the Pacific. Dr. Naoto Ueno, the director of the UH Cancer Center—an institution already recognized among the top 4% of NCI-designated cancer centers in the United States—emphasized that this support will dramatically accelerate the center’s launch. This will, in turn, expand local access to novel cancer treatments and reinforce the center’s core mission to save lives not only in Hawaiʻi but across the entire Pacific region. The establishment of the Hoʻōla Center serves a dual purpose: it directly improves the standard of care available to local residents while simultaneously elevating the state’s profile on the national and international stage as a key contributor to cutting-edge cancer research and therapeutic development, attracting top talent and further investment.
Elevating Medical Education Across the Islands
The second grant is designed to enhance medical education across the state by funding a comprehensive upgrade of simulation and training resources at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). A key part of this investment is the acquisition of new Anatomage Tables, which are state-of-the-art virtual dissection systems based on real human anatomy. These innovative tools effectively create a mobile anatomy lab, transforming how the subject is taught and allowing for in-depth, interactive study without the limitations of traditional methods. Crucially, a core component of this initiative is the strategic deployment of these advanced tables to neighbor islands. This ensures that JABSOM students and medical trainees in rural areas have equitable access to the same cutting-edge educational resources available on Oʻahu, directly addressing historical disparities in training opportunities. The funding will also provide new portable ultrasounds and advanced procedural models, further expanding hands-on learning for a wide spectrum of healthcare learners.
Furthermore, the grant will facilitate significant upgrades to the technology systems at JABSOM’s SimTiki Simulation Center, a hub for practical medical training. These enhancements will bolster high-fidelity training capabilities, particularly for complex and delicate procedures. This includes advanced ultrasound simulation and guided interventions such as thoracentesis, which involves removing excess fluid from around the lungs, and paracentesis, the removal of excess fluid from the abdomen. By allowing students and residents to practice these skills in a controlled, safe environment, the upgraded center will improve both competence and confidence. As noted by Dr. Sam Shomaker, the Dean of JABSOM, this investment enables the school to better train doctors who are fully prepared to meet Hawaiʻi’s unique healthcare challenges, strengthening the capacity to teach with greater precision, safety, and compassion for all patients.
A Strengthened Foundation for Future Health
This comprehensive $2.2 million investment from the Helmsley Charitable Trust laid a critical foundation for a more equitable and resilient healthcare system in Hawaiʻi. By addressing the spectrum of needs from advanced research to frontline training, the dual grants created a powerful synergy that promised lasting benefits. The initiative directly confronted the geographical barriers that had long defined healthcare access in the state, bringing pioneering cancer trials home and delivering state-of-the-art educational tools to neighbor islands. This strategic action not only improved immediate patient outcomes but also invested in the long-term vitality of the state’s medical community. The funding cultivated a more skilled and equitably distributed healthcare workforce, ensuring that future generations of physicians were better prepared to serve the unique needs of all of Hawaiʻi’s communities. Ultimately, this investment was a foundational step that strengthened the state’s health infrastructure from its research core to its delivery of compassionate, frontline care.
