UConn Planning Premier Cancer Center

FARMINGTON (AP) — The director of the University of Connecticut Health Center has unveiled an ambitious $20 million, five-year plan to make the college’s cancer center one of the nation’s best.

The cancer center’s director, Dr Carolyn Runowicz, outlined the proposal to the school’s board of directors Monday. Directors applauded the effort.

Under Runowicz’s plan, the cancer center would earn federal designation as a comprehensive cancer center within a decade. The cancer center would emphasize prevention and collaborate with other hospitals in the state to conduct trials of new cancer treatments, The Hartford Courant reported.

The proposal comes as the health center’s finances have stabilized in the past three years. It faced a severe fiscal crisis in 1999 and 2000.

Also Monday, school’s board of directors approved a $595 million budget for the health center for the next fiscal year. UConn trustees must give final approval to the budget, which would meet all the center’s obligations without additional aid.

UConn’s cancer center has been identified as one of the health center’s signature programs, or areas of academic emphasis. Dr Runowicz was hired in October to oversee the expansion of the cancer program.

The designation as a comprehensive cancer center would come from the National Cancer Institute.

That designation is reserved for centers that offer a full range of cancer services, including cancer prevention, community outreach, basic research, and using research efforts to help patients.

UConn’s plan calls for a $20 million investment over five years. New staff would be hired and marketing efforts stepped up.