OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center Gets $1 Million Tulsa Gift
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center Receives $1 Million Gift for Tulsa Expansion
A $1 million gift will help bring advanced cancer treatment and clinical trials closer to patients across northeastern Oklahoma.
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center Tulsa has received the investment from Founders of Doctors’ Hospital Inc., a Tulsa-based philanthropic foundation. The funding will support Stephenson Cancer Center’s major expansion into Tulsa, where a new comprehensive cancer facility is scheduled to open in summer 2028.
The expansion is designed to reduce the distance northeastern Oklahoma patients must travel for specialized cancer treatment while bringing more research-driven care and clinical trials to the region.
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center Tulsa Expands Access to Cancer Care
The OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center Tulsa expansion will establish a 176,100-square-foot cancer center on the University of Oklahoma’s Schusterman Center campus.
OU Health broke ground on the facility in November 2025. When completed, the center is expected to provide comprehensive outpatient cancer care, advanced imaging, radiation therapy, infusion treatment and cancer research under one roof.
The facility will include 70 exam rooms, four additional specialty rooms, 45 infusion spaces, a centralized pharmacy and three linear accelerators for radiation treatment.
Imaging capabilities will include MRI, PET-CT, X-ray, ultrasound and theranostics, along with dedicated clinical trial and research laboratory space designed to accommodate future growth.
Stephenson already provides cancer services in Tulsa, including infusion, laboratory, imaging and radiation services at Hillcrest Medical Center. The new facility will significantly expand the range and capacity of services available in northeastern Oklahoma.
More information about the project is available through the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center Tulsa expansion page.
Northeastern Oklahoma Faces Growing Demand for Cancer Treatment
The expansion comes as Oklahoma continues to face one of the nation's heavier cancer burdens.
OU Health reported when the Tulsa project broke ground that Oklahoma ranked fourth nationally for cancer deaths. Approximately 24,000 new cancer diagnoses were expected statewide in 2025, including about 8,300 in northeastern Oklahoma.
Demand for outpatient cancer services in northeastern Oklahoma is projected to increase 14.2% through 2034. OU Health projects particularly significant increases in pancreatic and liver cancers, which can require highly specialized treatment.
For patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiation or other repeated treatments, having those services closer to home can also reduce the burden of traveling to Oklahoma City for appointments.
Dr. Robert Mannel, director of Stephenson Cancer Center, said the Founders of Doctors’ Hospital investment will help expand access to advanced cancer care, clinical trials and innovative treatments for patients throughout the Tulsa region.
The Tulsa project is part of Stephenson Cancer Center’s broader effort to build a statewide cancer network and expand specialized treatment beyond its Oklahoma City campus.
Details about the groundbreaking and development of the new center are available through OU Health's Tulsa cancer center project announcement.
Stephenson Cancer Center Brings NCI-Designated Care to Tulsa Region
Stephenson Cancer Center is currently Oklahoma's only National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center, a distinction it first earned in 2018 and renewed in 2023.
NCI designation recognizes cancer centers that meet federal standards for scientific leadership, research and cancer care. Stephenson operates Oklahoma's largest clinical oncology practice and treats approximately 4,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients each year at its Oklahoma City and Norman locations.
Research is also a major part of the center's mission. The NCI reports that Stephenson supports more than 140 cancer researchers, while nearly 20% of patients treated at the center participate in clinical trials that can provide access to emerging therapies.
Founders of Doctors’ Hospital traces its history to physicians who operated the former nonprofit Doctors’ Hospital in Tulsa. The foundation has continued investing its resources in health care projects benefiting northeastern Oklahoma.
Foundation President Barbara West said the organization focuses on projects capable of benefiting large numbers of people, particularly within approximately 75 miles of Tulsa.
Federal information about Stephenson’s designation, research and clinical programs is available through the National Cancer Institute Stephenson Cancer Center profile.
For cancer patients across Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma, the $1 million gift contributes to a much larger expansion intended to put specialized treatment, advanced imaging and clinical research closer to the communities where patients live.
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