A Syracuse-based nonprofit is trying to raise $50 million to build a national cancer institute at Upstate Medical University, with organizers betting the money could help transform cancer care across Central New York. The Baldwin Fund says the effort would pay for top researchers and support Upstate Cancer Center's push toward a coveted federal designation that only a small fraction of U.S. cancer centers hold.
The fundraising campaign is part of a five-year timeline the Baldwin Fund and Upstate Medical University set to fund a national cancer institute in Central New York meant to serve patients from across the state and the country, according to Spectrum News. The fund has already awarded Upstate Medical University more than $4 million for research, funding 77 research grants, the outlet reported. Upstate has treated more than 19,000 cancer patients over the last decade.
The $50 million goal is intended to help attract top researchers and support Upstate Cancer Center's pursuit of National Cancer Institute designation.
Why a Federal Designation Matters
National Cancer Institute designation is not a label handed out freely. It evaluates a center's research, clinical trials, education, and community outreach efforts, and recognizes only about 4% of U.S. cancer centers, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Rochester's own Wilmot Cancer Institute became the 73rd center nationwide to earn that designation, per the same source. The National Cancer Institute says its designated centers sit at the forefront of NCI-supported cancer research at universities and research centers nationwide, according to the National Cancer Institute.
For Central New York patients, the proposed designation is a potential local development as well as a prestigious recognition. The campaign aims to bring an NCI-designated institute to Syracuse.
A Fund Rooted in Breast Cancer Research
The Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund supports breast cancer research, while the Baldwin family is also backing efforts to find cures for other cancers. The fund supports breast cancer research at both SUNY Upstate and SUNY Stony Brook, directing money raised in upstate New York to Upstate and money raised downstate to Stony Brook University, according to the fund's description on LocalSYR.
Breast cancer research remains an area of focus for advocates. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation has reported breakthroughs in risk prediction, treatment, and clinical trial research, underscoring why advocates say continued local investment in research could help save lives if the Baldwin Fund's fundraising goal is met.
Building Cancer Research in Central New York
Organizers are also emphasizing the importance of building cancer research capacity in Central New York. Fundraising work for the $50 million initiative was described as a five-year undertaking when the Baldwin Fund first laid out its plans for a National Cancer Institute at Upstate University Hospital, and the campaign continues to build toward that goal.
