University of Hawaii Cancer Center

09/26/2025

The UH Cancer Center's Nisa Kelly engages kūpuna at the Young At Heart Expo at the Blaisdell Center. Come visit us at UH Cancer Center booth, #102! 🩵

Today, Friday 9/26, the expo runs through 5 p.m.
Tomorrow, Saturday 9/27, the expo runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall

09/24/2025

Foodland is making it super easy to donate to support our UH Cancer Center! Throughout September, Foodland shoppers can choose to make a donation that benefits the UH Cancer Center — and Foodland will match a portion of your gift. At checkout, just let your cashier know you want to donate to our center using this information:

77583 Friends of the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center.

Your donation will go to research, prevention and education programs that will help us save lives in Hawai‘i and the Pacific.

09/23/2025

Hundreds of health advocates from across the country gathered recently on Capitol Hill for the 13th Annual Rally for Medical Research. The event focused on urging Congress to provide continuing, robust and predictable National Institute of Health funding for medical research, clinical trials and education programs that address critical public healthcare issues and needs. The goal is to gain support for research that will ensure progress, inspire hope and save lives.

09/10/2025

About 168 golfers hit the links on August 29 during the 11th Annual Cooling Cancer Golf Tournament at the Hoakalei Country Club in Kapolei, to raise awareness and funds for the UH Cancer Center. And more than 30 volunteers and staff from the UH Cancer Center in bright turquoise logo shirts, along with our Skin✔ Van, lent staffing, outreach and presence to the event.

While this year’s fundraising total is not yet finalized, $650,000 has been raised over past years. Mahalo to everyone who came out to compete and volunteer at this year’s Cooling Cancer Golf Tournament!

uhcancercenter.org

08/14/2025

Tune in to Hawaii News Now at 6:10 am — our Director Dr. Naoto Ueno is being interviewed live on extramural funding and our center’s unique and impactful research, community outreach and patient care.

08/11/2025

Our University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center was in the spotlight as UH Administration and state and federal leaders announced on Wednesday that the UH system as a whole has again set a record for extramural funding: $734 million in fiscal year 2025, from external sources such as the federal government, private industry and nonprofit organizations.

But during the press conference in our Sullivan Conference Center, the need to fight for continued research funding was emphasized by the speakers: Gov. Josh Green, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, UH President Wendy Hensel, Interim UH Mānoa Provost Vassilis Syrmos, JABSOM Dean Dr. Sam Shomaker, and our UH Cancer Center Director Dr. Naoto T. Ueno. At least 66 grants across the UH system, totaling more than $89 million, have been terminated due to shifting federal priorities, and more cuts are proposed in the next federal budget. Heartfelt mahalo to our Hawai‘i leaders for advocating for our university!

Dr. Ueno shared that the UH Cancer Center drew $35.1 million in grants in FY 2025, and said the increase over the prior year “is evidence of the strength of the UH Cancer Center’s scientific work. And it is a sign of our importance in the fight against cancer.” Media and dignitaries also toured our Ho‘ōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center.

Full story in UH News: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2025/08/06/extramural-funding-record-fy25/

Honolulu Star-Advertiser: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/08/06/hawaii-news/uh-sees-more-record-funding-despite-concerns/
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/08/07/hawaii-news/uh-celebrates-fourth-year-of-record-federal-funding/

Hawaii News Now: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/08/06/university-hawaii-reaches-major-research-milestone/

07/28/2025

Congrats to our CREATE summer interns! And mahalo to Hawaii News Now for the coverage of this University of Hawaii Cancer Center program that is helping to build the next generation of scientists, researchers and other health-related professionals!

Learn more: UHCancerCenter.org




https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/07/26/summer-interns-build-their-research-skills-uh-cancer-centers-create-program/

More than 20 college students from Hawaii and Guam are wrapping up an eight week internship at the UH Cancer Center in Kaka’ako.

07/26/2025

Are you interested in clinical research? Our Clinical Research Professional Certificate (CRP) is an accelerated program designed to train clinical research associates to work in the UH Cancer Center, affiliated hospitals, or other organizations supporting clinical trials.

If you are a Native Hawaiian college student, you may be eligible for a scholarship.

Registrations are still being accepted for the Clinical Research Professional Certificate program, conducted online by the UH Cancer Center.

The accelerated program, August 27 to November 19, is designed to train clinical research associates to work in the UH Cancer Center, affiliated hospitals, or other organizations supporting clinical trials.

Native Hawaiian college students can apply for scholarships. Discounts available for Hawai‘i Cancer Consortium members and students, and veterans. Deadline to register for scholarships is August 1, and the deadline to register for the CRP program is August 13.

For more information: https://explore.outreach.hawaii.edu/public/category/courseCategoryCertificateProfile.do?method=load&certificateId=1124452&selectedProgramAreaId=18357&selectedProgramStreamId=18367

07/19/2025

Heartfelt MAHALO to the volunteers who serve on our University of Hawaii Cancer Center's advisory and advocacy groups! They spent most of their Aloha Friday today learning and collaborating in a joint retreat — a historic first for our center — organized by our hard-working Community Outreach and Engagement office. Included in this photo are members of our center's overall Community Advisory Board; Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Fillipino advisory boards; Patient Advocacy Council; Community Scientist group; as well as members of our center's faculty, staff and leadership team. We are grateful for everyone's commitment, mana‘o and aloha.

07/12/2025

When Susan Hirano of Honolulu was diagnosed with stage-4 metastatic breast cancer, a major part of her immediate response was to begin researching and embracing the social, emotional and mental therapies that could enhance her medical treatment and her overall journey. That sparked a vision that led her to found our Cancer CARE Community patient-support and empowerment program. (It was renamed the Susan C. Hirano Cancer CARE Community in a surprise ceremony at its launch event.) While so many were devastated by Susan's loss in April, just 13 days after the launch, the program and legacy Susan established will go on in perpetuity to help thousands of cancer patients, caregivers and families in Hawai‘i and the Pacific.

07/10/2025

Did you know that our Director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Dr. Naoto Ueno, is a two-time cancer survivor himself? Our UH Cancer Center is said to be the only NCI-designated cancer center led by a two-time cancer survivor. Read more about his journey:

https://pittmed.pitt.edu/news/naoto-ueno-cancer-journey-university-of-hawaii-cancer-center-bone-marrow-transplant-john-kirkwood

Naoto T Ueno

There’s no humor in it, but there is a sense of unfortunate irony: Naoto Ueno (Res ’93), an MD, PhD and leading cancer expert, became a two-time cancer survivor. Now the director of the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, Ueno’s personal cancer journey began in 2007 while he was the executi...

04/10/2025

There's still time to donate to the UH Cancer Center on this and help us to save lives in Hawai‘i and the Pacific! So far your generosity has provided us with over $5000 in donations -- money that will go directly to cutting-edge cancer research, and innovative cancer care solutions. A generous donor has pledged to match gifts up to $5,000. And UH Giving Day isn't over yet! There's still time to lend your support. Make a donation to the UH Cancer Center here: https://givingday.uhfoundation.org/giving-day/97249/department/97274