Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction - Project Title: Regional Cancer Care Facilities and Equipment Address: 4301 W Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72205 Project Director: Michael J. Birrer, MD, PhD Contact Phone Numbers: 501-526-2272 email: mjbirrer@uams.edu The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute (Cancer Institute) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is requesting $7 million to renovate the UAMS Health – Family Medical Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and to purchase three computerized tomography (CT) scanners for use at regional facilities affiliated with UAMS, including the site proposed in this application. These efforts will greatly expand the Cancer Institute’s ability to provide cancer care, prevention and education services, early detection screening, and access to clinical trials to rural and underserved populations in the eastern part of the state, known as the Arkansas Delta. Under the leadership of Director Michael J. Birrer, MD, PhD, the Cancer Institute is seeking to become the first NCI-designated cancer center in Arkansas. To achieve designation, access to cutting-edge equipment and clinical services is critically important in providing outstanding, rationally based, compassionate cancer care to all cancer patients seeking treatment at the Cancer Institute, especially patients living outside of the Little Rock metro area and in rural communities. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in Arkansas and may become the leading cause of death within the next decade, surpassing cardiovascular disease, based on diagnosis trends in the state. Additionally, Arkansas ranks among the worst in the nation for the rate of new lung cancer cases and for the survival rate of the disease according to the American Lung Association. UAMS is the state’s largest basic and applied research institution and is the only academic health sciences center in Arkansas with an enrollment of more than 2,000 students in six academic units. Located on UAMS’ main campus, the Cancer Institute generates outstanding cancer research and provides robust cancer care accommodating approximately 25,000 patient visits each year from all 75 counties in Arkansas in addition to 47 states and six countries. The UAMS Regional Campuses network serves as an educational outreach program for the university and the principal means to decentralize medical and other health professions education throughout the state. Each Regional Campus is supported by at least one medical center or clinic, which provides a wide range of non-cancer services including family practice, community health education, and trauma care. There are currently eight UAMS Regional Campuses outside of the Little Rock metro area, and six of those campuses are positioned to serve rural populations across the state. Rural communities in Arkansas lack adequate health and wellness resources, specifically cancer education, screening, prevention, clinical care, and research. In addition, many Arkansans living in rural areas of the state have to drive between two to three hours to receive cancer-related care, including screening and other early preventative measures. The UAMS Health – Family Medical Center in Jonesboro serves rural and underserved populations that are particularly impacted by a lack of cancer-related health resources, and the renovation project and equipment proposed in this application will help strengthen cancer-related care to those areas.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).