Cancer research and treatment organization City of Hope announced that philanthropists Andrew and Peggy Cherng will provide a $100 million gift to create a first-of-its-kind integrated Eastern-Western Oncology program aimed at improving care and quality of life for cancer patients. The gift will establish the Cherng Family Center for Integrative Oncology at City of Hope, which will take a whole-person approach to cancer care drawing from diverse cultures, particularly those of Chinese medicine and other Eastern healing traditions.
“We are grateful for this gift, which will allow us to lead the way in integrative oncology and continue to pioneer compassionate medical innovation as we have done at City of Hope for more than 100 years,” said Robert Stone, CEO of City of Hope. “Innovative and holistic care is part of our culture and mission; we are committed to supporting and treating the whole patient—not just the cancer.”
It is estimated that as many as 40% of cancer patients use some form of integrated therapy to address symptoms of cancer such as pain. Research indicates that integrated approaches to cancer treatment improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients. With few healthcare cancer centers offering physician-guided integrated therapy approaches, City of Hope intends to become a national center to provide evidence-based integrative oncology treatments to its patients combined with existing standard of care.
The center will initially launch at City of Hope in Southern California and will eventually expand to include the City of Hope’s national system. The Cherng Family Center’s mission will be led by Richard T. Lee, MD, a leading expert in integrative oncology. Lee will lead the City of Hope team to advance research, education, and clinical care incorporating integrative oncology practices.
The focus of the center will include:
- Accelerated research, therapy development, and clinical trials to allow scientists and physicians to develop evidence-based practices for cancer patients nationwide.
- Education and training programs to address the shortage of knowledgeable clinicians in this field. Within the next year, City of Hope plans to create one of the first integrative oncology fellowships created and led by oncologists.
- Programs to be piloted at City of Hope campuses in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. Experts will build scalable infrastructure and develop platforms to track clinical data to further scientific discovery and improve cancer patient outcomes. The benefits of integrative oncology will then be extended to patients throughout City of Hope’s national cancer care and research system.
“The Cherng Family Center for Integrative Oncology will be the epicenter of translational research, new drug development, and holistic care that meets a pressing need for patients and enhances our connection to the diverse communities we serve,” said Edward S. Kim, MD, vice physician-in-chief, City of Hope National Medical Center. “City of Hope is creating a new standard of care through a scientifically rigorous process. Our vision is to create an international destination for integrative oncology that transforms the way people with cancer receive care.”
