TULSA, Okla. –

OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center has received a $1 million gift from Founders of Doctors’ Hospital Inc., a Tulsa-based philanthropic foundation, to support the cancer center’s expansion into northeastern Oklahoma.

The investment will help bring advanced cancer care closer to patients in the Tulsa region, reducing the need for long-distance travel during treatment.

Expanding cancer care in Tulsa

Stephenson Cancer Center is developing a new Tulsa facility that is scheduled to open in 2028. The facility will provide comprehensive cancer services closer to patients and families in northeastern Oklahoma.

The center’s expansion is intended to allow more patients to begin and continue treatment within their own communities.

New facility will offer comprehensive services

The Tulsa facility will include:

70 exam rooms45 infusion spacesThree linear acceleratorsMRI and PET-CT imagingDedicated clinical trial space

The clinical trial space is designed to expand as the center grows.

Addressing Oklahoma’s cancer burden

Oklahoma ranks fourth in the nation for cancer deaths. About 24,000 people received a cancer diagnosis in the state in 2025, with approximately 8,300 occurring in northeastern Oklahoma.

The region also has some of the state’s highest cancer mortality rates. Demand for outpatient cancer care in northeastern Oklahoma is projected to increase 14.2% through 2034.

That growth is being driven in part by high rates of pancreatic, hepatobiliary and other complex cancers that can be resistant to traditional therapies.

“We are grateful to Founders of Doctors’ Hospital for their investment in the health of northeastern Oklahoma. This gift will help expand access to the advanced cancer care, clinical trials and innovative treatments that define Stephenson Cancer Center. Together, we are creating new opportunities for hope and healing across the Tulsa region,” said Dr. Robert Mannel, director of OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center.

Supporting the region’s cancer care needs

Stephenson Cancer Center is Oklahoma’s only NCI-Designated Cancer Center. The National Cancer Institute designation is the highest federal rating a cancer center can achieve and must be renewed every five years through a rigorous review process.

Studies show that patients treated at an NCI center can improve their survival rates by up to 25%.

“We look for opportunities that will do a great deal of good for a great many people,” said Barbara West, president of Founders of Doctors’ Hospital. “We are committed to improving healthcare in northeast Oklahoma, generally within a 75-mile radius of Tulsa. OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center in Tulsa is an excellent example of helping an underserved community in need of help.”

Foundation traces roots to Tulsa physicians

Founders of Doctors’ Hospital traces its roots to a group of physicians who operated Doctors’ Hospital, a nonprofit hospital in Tulsa.

The physicians later established the foundation so its resources could continue supporting the region where they built their careers.

The $1 million gift will support Stephenson Cancer Center’s efforts to expand access to advanced cancer treatment and services for patients in northeastern Oklahoma.

Related Story: OU Health receives $2 million donation to expand Tulsa cancer center