Helmsley Trust Grants Fund Early Cancer Trials and Medical Training

The University of Hawaiʻi received two grants totaling just over $2.2 million from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to accelerate clinical trial access and strengthen clinical education. Announced December 21, 2025, the funding supports the UH Cancer Center’s new Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center and upgrades at the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

The Cancer Center award is designated for startup costs for the Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center, scheduled to open in March 2026. The center will enable Hawaiʻi residents to enroll in early stage cancer trials closer to home, reducing the need for long distance travel to access experimental treatments and potentially expanding participation among residents of Kauai County and other neighbor islands.

The medical school grant will purchase mobile and neighbor island capable simulation and training equipment, including Anatomage virtual dissection tables, portable ultrasound devices, and procedural models. These tools are intended to support hands on clinical training on neighbor islands, making high fidelity simulation available beyond Oʻahu and helping build a stronger rural healthcare workforce.

For Kauai County residents the investments aim to address two persistent challenges. First, local access to early stage clinical trials can shorten the time and cost burden of traveling for specialized care. Second, improved simulation training on neighbor islands can help recruit and retain clinicians who are trained to work in rural and remote settings, enhancing the county’s capacity for emergency care, chronic disease management, and specialty services.

The Helmsley funding arrives as the university prepares to operationalize the Hoʻōla center and equip its training programs for mobile deployment. Community health leaders and educators will now work on implementation plans to ensure the new resources reach neighbor island clinics and training sites. The grants mark a concrete philanthropic investment in expanding both cancer research access and clinical training across Hawaiʻi.