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The Grand Opening of the Ho‘ōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center on July 6, 2026, generated extensive news coverage, with more than 100 news stories across TV, digital, print and radio media outlets. Some highlights:
The media campaign also included the July 2 release of a new study from the UH Cancer Center that established the need for specialized cancer-care services locally such as those at Ho‘ōla EPCRC. The analysis found that Hawaiʻi patients spent at least $230 million on cancer care delivered outside Hawaiʻi between 2021 and 2023.
Researchers analyzed de-identified commercial insurance claims from the Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association (HMSA) for residents receiving cancer treatment, and found that geographic isolation has led many Hawaiʻi patients to seek advanced cancer therapeutics and clinical trials on the mainland.
When other news stories generated by the UH Cancer Center are included, the center generated a total of more than 300 news stories in July 2026.
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About the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center is dedicated to saving lives in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific, and inspiring hope by working to conquer cancer. The flagship priority is to understand and address cancer health disparities. The center strives to achieve this through research, education, patient care, and community outreach, focusing on the unique and diverse ethnic, cultural, and environmental characteristics of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
The UH Cancer Center is one of only 74 institutions designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), representing a significant mark of excellence, and is the only NCI-designated cancer center in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The center contributes more than $57 million to Hawaiʻi's economy through scientific research, clinical trials, and other activities.
As part of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the UH Cancer Center operates out of facilities located in Kakaʻako. The center directly employs more than 300 faculty and staff, with an additional 200 affiliate members and cooperative agreements with organizations that are part of the Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium. The consortium includes The Queen’s Health Systems, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, Kuakini Medical Center, Adventist Health Castle, Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association (HMSA), and the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), all working together with the UH Cancer Center to advance cancer research and treatment in the state.
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