Wallis family commits $500,000 to UAMS for radiation oncology efforts

James “Jim” Wallis and Patricia “Pat” Wallis pledged $500,000 to create the James and Patricia Wallis Professorship in Radiation Oncology in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine’s Department of Radiation Oncology.

The gift was inspired by Jim Wallis’s tumor treatment using proton therapy at the Proton Center in Oklahoma City. The professorship holder will be a faculty member of the Department of Radiation Oncology, elected by the chair of the department with approval by the dean of the College of Medicine.

“In 2010 I was diagnosed with carotid paraganglioma, and I knew that surgery wouldn’t be an easy solution,” said Wallis. “I chose the opportunity to receive medical care at the Oklahoma Proton Center. My experience was truly amazing. I was able to continue my normal daily routine throughout the time I spent in treatment at the hospital. Pat and I truly believe that Arkansans deserve this advanced form of medical application, and we are honored to be able to support the UAMS Radiation Oncology Center.”

An endowed professorship is among the highest academic honors a university can bestow on a faculty member. It is a $500,000 endowment established to support the educational, research and clinical activities of its holder, who will lead future innovations in medicine and health care. Those named to a professorship are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians and professors in their fields of expertise.

“I want to thank Jim and Pat Wallis for their continued support of UAMS — through their philanthropy, they have shown their belief in this institution and a commitment to the people of Arkansas,” said Dr. Cam Patterson, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “A professorship is a profoundly beneficial instrument at the disposal of a department, supporting activities that advance the mission of UAMS. I hope Jim and Pat know that this will help many people well into the future.”

Jim Wallis, an Arkansas native, attended the University of Tulsa and received a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering and later a law degree. He worked for several oil companies in Oklahoma before establishing ExOK Inc., in 1979, serving as chairman, president and CEO. He was also a founding member of Western National Bank, where he served as director. He also served as a University of Tulsa Trustee from 2001-2017.

Upon Jim Wallis’ retirement in 2017, the couple moved to Little Rock.

“With the opening of the Radiation Oncology Center, many opportunities are being created to advance cancer treatment at UAMS, and the creation of endowed chairs and professorships are just a few tools in developing world-class, specialized cancer treatment,” said Fen Xia, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology. “Philanthropists such as Jim and Pat Wallis are instrumental in raising the bar for cancer treatment at UAMS, and we are grateful that we can call them friends and partners in achieving our mission.”