image: “Clinical trials are critical for so many reasons,” said Kathy Coleman. “On a global level, they help advance research and move us closer to cures; but for individuals and families, I know personally the hope they bring. When you’re sitting with someone you love and everything feels dark and final, a clinical trial and the life-extending potential it carries is a bright spot, even if it comes with no guarantees.”
Credit: photo credit: Roger Mastroianni
CLEVELAND – A $3.5 million gift from Kathy Coleman to Because of You: The Campaign for University Hospitals will fuel the future of clinical trials at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. The critical support will allow for site renovations and expansion – in size and scale - of the existing Kathy and Les Coleman Clinical Trials Center.
“UH Seidman Cancer Center ushered in a new era of cancer care at UH when it opened in 2011, and the Kathy and Les Coleman Clinical Trials Center has been integral to that,” said Theodoros Teknos, MD, President and Scientific Director, UH Seidman Cancer Center, and Jane and Lee Seidman Chair in Cancer Innovation. “Currently, we offer more than 400 clinical trials annually and it helps thousands of patients. With Kathy’s support, we will triple our capacity by 2030, bringing potentially life-extending treatments to more patients than ever.”
As a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, UH Seidman Cancer Center has direct access to the newest clinical trials and is one of only seven cancer centers in the country with access to a pipeline of novel drugs from the National Cancer Institute. UH is also only one of 11 academic medical centers to successfully manufacture CAR T-cells for patient use. The UH Wesley Center for Immunotherapy can create these cells in just 24 hours, compared to the industry standard of 12-30 days. That access and expertise, bolstered by this gift, will enable UH Seidman Cancer Center to build one of the nation’s premier Phase 1 Clinical Trials programs.
A passionate supporter and volunteer leader, Kathy Coleman has given more than $14 million to UH, all in memory of her late husband, Lester Coleman Jr. The former chairman and chief executive of Lubrizol Corp., Les passed away four months after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer. Additionally, Kathy is an active member of the UH Seidman Cancer Center Leadership Council, a past co-chair of the hospital’s signature Five Star Sensation, and a recipient of UH’s highest honor, the Samuel L. Mather Visionary Award.
“Clinical trials are critical for so many reasons,” said Kathy Coleman. “On a global level, they help advance research and move us closer to cures; but for individuals and families, I know personally the hope they bring. When you’re sitting with someone you love and everything feels dark and final, a clinical trial and the life-extending potential it carries is a bright spot, even if it comes with no guarantees.”
Following renovations, UH will relocate the Coleman Clinical Trials Center into a dedicated, 16,000-square-feet space on main campus. The move will centralize care for clinical trial patients and make way for new machinery that will expand investigation into theranostics and other diagnostic-based trials. Most importantly, it will enable UH to triple patient capacity within the next five years.
“As a disease, cancer takes a devastating toll on patients, families and communities,” said Quintin Pan, PhD, Deputy Director for Research, UH Seidman Cancer Center, and Dr. Lester E. Coleman, Jr. Chair in Cancer Research & Therapeutics. “Because of Kathy, we will be able to push the boundaries of discovery and bring tomorrow’s treatments to our patients today, offering them new hope.”
UH is committed to transforming cancer care. Because of You, UH is meeting patients where they are, delivering personalized care close to home, while furthering investments in ground-breaking treatments like clinical trials and immunotherapy. Learn more about UH’s historic Because of You campaign at UHGiving.org.
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About The Campaign for University Hospitals
Because of You: The Campaign for University Hospitals is a $2 billion comprehensive effort to support the health system’s service-oriented mission. It is the most ambitious fundraising campaign in UH’s 158-year history and led by dedicated volunteer leaders Shelly Adelman and Dee Haslam. The Because of You campaign will strive to make a profound and indelible impact in five key areas: Caring for our children; Transforming cancer care; Leading discovery and innovation; Investing in our community; and Embracing emerging priorities. Learn more about UH’s historic effort to advance the care of patients in every corner of our community at UHgiving.org.
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About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio
Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of more than 20 hospitals (including 5 joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, NEOMED, Oxford University, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,400 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national and international ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report and UK Brand Finance. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.