Surgical oncology specialists acquire additional knowledge and expertise to treat specific cancers. The Big Cure Endowment provides a strategic focus on recruiting these specialists to West Texas in areas of cancer care that are not currently available, including:

• Endocrine (cancers of the thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas and adrenal glands)
• Melanoma (common skin cancer in our sun-exposed farm, ranch and oilfield workers)
• Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for abdominal cancer
• Plastic surgeons to provide the latest microsurgical options for breast reconstruction after mastectomy, which are unavailable outside Dallas and Houston.

Evidence shows that being treated by specialists translates into better outcomes, including higher survival rates, for many, if not most, cancers.

National Cancer Institutes (NCI) are known for meeting rigorous standards for transdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research focused on developing new and better approaches to preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. The Big Cure Endowment will support the recruitment of physician-scientists who specialize in cancer care to collaborate with our researchers in innovative, investigative studies. Being an NCI-designated facility would ensure West Texans have access to the highest standards of cancer care available anywhere.

Yes! Adding physician-scientists can expand our research opportunities and bolster additional funding, such as from the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), which offers funding opportunities for promising cancer research, product development, and prevention programs.