—Funding Will Help Train Gynecological Cancer Doctors and Support the University’s College of Nursing—
Memphis, Tenn, November 13, 2025—West Cancer Foundation today announced it has awarded three grants supporting the University of Tennessee Health Science Center through the University of Tennessee Foundation. The grants provide funding for UT Health Science Center’s Oncology Fellowship and Residents programs and its College of Nursing. The partnership with UT Health Science Center began soon after West Cancer Foundation was founded in 2020 and, to date, the Foundation has awarded 18 grants to the university totaling more than $2 million.
This year, West Cancer Foundation is awarding the university a total of $448,005 in grants including $202,363 for two gynecology/oncology Residents, $101,173 for one gynecology/oncology Fellow and $144,469 for a grant to the UTHSC College of Nursing.
West Cancer Foundation awards grants to local universities to increase support for oncology nursing and oncologists in training who work closely with supervising physicians on critical research and education to advance the fight against cancer.
“We’re delighted once again to partner with UT Health Science Center—the largest educator of health care professionals in Tennessee—to help increase and enhance cancer care in our community,” said West Cancer Foundation President Leighanne Soden. “UT Health Science Center is developing the next generation of oncology doctors and nurses and, because of our generous supporters, we are able to support that mission for such an incredible institution.”
The grant for the College of Nursing will help fund its investment in oncology nursing education through ongoing funding for the Bernie Crook Distinguished Visiting Professorship Lecture series, the Oncology Elective for BSN Students, and both the Oncology Nurse Scholar Program and Oncology Nurse Research Scholars Program. These initiatives provide nursing students with invaluable opportunities to advance their clinical knowledge, participate in cancer research and prepare for leadership roles in oncology care.
The UT Health Science Center oncology fellowship and residents programs have a dual focus in both clinical patient care and academic research. The multidisciplinary approach provides training using the latest advancements in diagnostic imaging and testing, genetic screening, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapies, as well as minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgical techniques.
“We are grateful for the continued support from West Cancer Foundation to help us prepare nurses to be the frontline providers for patients and their families impacted by cancer,” said Wendy Likes, Dean of the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing. “This funding is making a difference in exposing our students to the fulfilling role of oncology nursing and ensuring they are prepared as they enter the workforce.”
In addition to supporting oncology healthcare education, West Cancer Foundation provides free cancer services to those in need including cancer screenings, transportation to and from cancer appointments, mental health counseling, post-surgery prostheses and garments, lymphedema compression garments and wigs from its onsite Sweet Wig Beauty Boutique. The Foundation works with all cancer patients regardless of where they are being treated.
About West Cancer Foundation
West Cancer Foundation is dedicated to advance the fight against cancer by providing free patient resources to improve treatment and recovery, early detection and education to reduce critical cancer
outcomes, and community-based research to improve health inequities. The Memphis-based nonprofit was founded in 2020 and is committed to developing collaborative partnerships and innovative patient-centered initiatives that remove barriers to cancer care. For more information, visit westcancerfoundation.org.
About UT Health Science Center
The mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is transforming lives through collaborative and inclusive education, research, scholarship, clinical care, and public service. With six colleges – Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy – at its main campus in Memphis, in addition to educational and clinical campuses at major hospitals in Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville, and sites across the state, UTHSC strives to fulfill its vision: Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities. For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu. You can find the University of Tennessee Health Science Center on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.
Media Contacts
West Cancer Foundation
Lori Guyton
lori@onbrandcommunications.com
901-277-6066
UT Health Science Center
Peggy Reisser
mreisser@uthsc.edu
901-336-3199
