Judd Hill Foundation donates $1 million to UAMS Northeast Regional Campus to fight cancer

The Judd Hill Foundation pledged $1 million Thursday (April 11) to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Northeast Regional Campus to fight cancer in the region, Trustee Mike Gibson said during an announcement on the campus.

Gibson, who has served as the trustee for the foundation since it was formed in 1991, said it has partnered with UAMS Northeast Regional Campus for more than 25 years.

Doctor training and retention has been one of the main goals of the campus since it was opened in 1980, UAMS Northeast Campus Program Director Dr. Scott Dickson said.

“Our hope is that they (doctors in residence) they will remain in Jonesboro or the surrounding areas,” Gibson said.

The million dollar pledge will be used, in part, to fund several cancer prevention initiatives, Dickson said. In rural regions like Northeast Arkansas there is limited access cancer screening and detecting it early is key to improving a patient’s survival rate, he added.

The pledge will also allow with cancer who are receiving treatment at UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute to receive follow up care on the Northeast Campus, Gibson said. Education, research, clinical care and campus improvements will also be paid for through the pledge.

“I would like to thank the Judd Hill Foundation for its continued support of UAMS, helping us to advance the most critical initiatives of the institution,” said Cam Patterson, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “This support of UAMS’ mission-critical work will leave a legacy that will endure well into the future and will have a profound impact on the lives of the people in Northeast Arkansas.”

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 600,000 people in the United States die from cancer each year.

The Northeast Regional Campus is one of eight campuses that make up UAMS Regional Campuses, a statewide network that was founded in 1973 to encourage UAMS medical school graduates to remain in Arkansas and help address the state’s shortage of primary care physicians.

The Regional Campuses also serve as an educational outreach network for UAMS, and the principal means to decentralize medical and other health professions education throughout the state. The Northeast Regional Campus serves the 10-county region of Clay, Craighead, Cross, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph and Woodruff counties.

The Foundation was established through the 4,000-acre estate of Esther Hill Chapin, the daughter of Judd Hill. Chapin’s goal was to improve rural healthcare throughout the region, Gibson added.

“To have a thriving community, we need a healthy community, and I believe UAMS plays a critical role in supporting the growth of Northeast Arkansas,” said Gibson. “The Northeast Regional Campus is incredibly important for Jonesboro and the surrounding area, and the Judd Hill Foundation is extremely proud to support UAMS’ mission.”