The AbbVie Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing health disparities, has made a $75 million donation to the University of Chicago to support the construction of the new UChicago Medicine Cancer Pavilion, the first free-standing facility in Illinois dedicated to reshaping cancer care.
The building, which will be known as the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion when it opens in 2027, reflects both organizations’ shared mission to promote health equity and expand access to high-quality, culturally competent health care.
The donation helps fund construction of an $815 million, 575,000-square-foot building that will serve as UChicago Medicine’s flagship center where the organization will advance the field of cancer through world-class research, innovative clinical treatments and personalized patient care – all rolled into one. . roof. The donation will allow UChicago Medicine to direct resources to further support the health of the community.
“We are deeply honored by this generous donation as it strengthens our commitment to improving the health and vitality of society—a core priority of our South Side institution,” said Paul Alivisatos, president of the University of Chicago. “This significant contribution speaks to the AbbVie Foundation’s confidence in UChicago as a pioneering health care institution dedicated to finding globally meaningful solutions to unmet challenges.”
The AbbVie Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing health equity with a focus on empowering communities around the world and accelerating innovative solutions that drive transformative change. University of Chicago Medicine is a long-time partner of the AbbVie Foundation. In 2020, the Foundation made a five-year, $8 million commitment to support the creation of the Links in Care (LinC) program at UChicago Medicine. The program—a network of local health care providers, community and faith-based organizations, and UChicago Medicine—expanded health services and addressed social determinants of health in neighborhoods on Chicago’s South Side.
“The AbbVie Foundation is honored to deepen our long-standing partnership with UChicago Medicine, which is rooted in our shared mission of advancing health equity,” said Claudia Carravetta, President of the AbbVie Foundation and Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Global Philanthropy at AbbVie. “We are proud to contribute to this state-of-the-art facility, which will support UChicago Medicine’s efforts to accelerate access and innovation in cancer care, eliminate disparities and make a significant impact on patients in the South Side Chicago community and around the world. “
UChicago Medicine’s distinguished track record includes being one of only 72 hospitals in the United States (and one of only two in Illinois) designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. For more than 17 years, UChicago Medicine has been ranked among the top hospitals for cancer treatment nationally, making it an ideal location for the most complex and advanced treatments. Among the historic achievements, UChicago Medicine became the first institution in the United States to offer FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy, an innovative approach to treating specific types of blood cancers in adults and children.
Mark Anderson, MD, executive vice president for medical affairs at UChicago, emphasized the broader mission of the pavilion: “This facility is not just about advancing scientific discovery, although that is certainly a key part of our mission. This is about transforming the way we deliver health care, eliminating the inequalities that exist in cancer outcomes, and ensuring that everyone – no matter their background – has access to the most advanced treatments.”
“Our teams will strive to revolutionize cancer treatment by asking and exploring more complex scientific questions, the answers to which can accelerate progress in this field,” said Kunle Odunsi, MD, director of the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion will bring together more than 200 leading cancer experts currently scattered across our campus, allowing us to collaborate very closely with each other to create something greater than what we could achieve alone.”
The AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion will not only serve patients across the country and the world in need of academic care, but will also serve as a resource for South Side community members seeking cancer education, prevention and screening. “This facility is right where we need it, on the South Side of Chicago, where health disparities are high and where cancer is the second leading cause of death,” said Candice Henley, a cancer survivor and chair of the UChicago Medical Society. Advisory Board.
The AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion represents one of the most significant investments UChicago Medicine has made on Chicago’s South Side. “This gift will bolster our efforts to expand our network of care through initiatives such as the Southside Healthy Community Organization and our Violence Recovery Program, while we continue to serve as an economic catalyst for the community through employment and other opportunities,” said Thomas Jakiewicz, President of the University of Chicago Health System.
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