The investment will be split evenly between Chesterfield, Mo.-based Mercy’s Fort Smith (Ark.) Hospital and Tulsa-based University of Oklahoma Health’s Stephenson Cancer Center, according to a Feb. 13 news release from Cherokee Nation.
The funds will support a new OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center facility in Tulsa, expanding access to cancer trials in the area. Mercy Hospital Forth Smith will use the investment to grow patient access to cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment and recovery, the release said.
“Cherokee Nation Health Services diagnoses nearly 400 new cancer cases per year, and we know that having treatment facilities within 60 miles of our citizens significantly increases their chances of survival,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., said in the release. “This investment ensures more hope and opportunity for our tribal citizens who need cancer care.”