UT Health Science Center Giving Day April 29 Enables More Investment in Cancer Research

On Giving Day, April 29, all gifts will be matched and invested in cancer research.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center will hold its fifth-annual Giving Day on Tuesday, April 29, inviting the community to join the university in supporting the mission to make Tennessee healthier.

This year, each dollar raised during the 24-hour campaign will have an even bigger impact because an anonymous donor pledged to match all gifts, no matter the area they support, for the new Cancer Discovery Fund. This fund will support cancer researchers in their work to find better diagnosis and treatment options for cancer patients in Tennessee and beyond. Those who give directly to the Cancer Discovery Fund will have their donations matched twice, tripling the value of gifts toward cancer research.

"This year, we are looking across the health sciences and focusing on the unifying theme of cancer," Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, said. "Tennessee is sixth in the nation in cancer mortality, and even though we do great work, we have a long way to go. This is an opportunity to unify ourselves as a community around something that matters and that is significant, so that we can make a dent."

Cancer researchers at UT Health Science Center are working every day to better understand the disease at the molecular level, including how cancer cells grow, mutate, and resist treatment. This knowledge fuels the development of new drugs to treat cancer and tests that help doctors detect cancer earlier. UT Health Science Center researchers also collaborate closely with clinicians at partner hospitals across the state to translate discoveries into patient care, while leading programs that connect people to the cancer services they need.

Giving Day 2025 comes after UT Health Science Center recently received the coveted R1 designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This elite classification places UT Health Science Center in the top tier of universities conducting groundbreaking research across the country.

"Each and every day, we are educating your future nurse, physician, pharmacist, dentist, therapist. And we are doing so in an environment of discovery, because we know the answers to challenging diseases like cancer lie in the research happening at UT Health Science Center," said Vice Chancellor for Advancement Brigitte Grant.

The goal for this year's Giving Day is to raise funds from a record 1,250 donors. Last year's campaign was successful in raising $664,850 from 1,155 donors, surpassing the goal of 1,000 donors.

In addition to the match for cancer research, a dozen other match and challenge opportunities are available to increase each gift's impact once certain goals are met. Gifts can be made in any size and for any of UT Health Science Center's programs, initiatives, or colleges - Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy. All gifts to UT Health Science Center support the education and training of Tennessee's future health care professionals, as well as the delivery of outstanding clinical care at major hospitals across the state and cutting-edge research to develop the next cures.

"Our learners have made the decision to dedicate their lives to helping others," Grant said. "Our mission is to invest in the best knowledge, training, and research in order to give every one of our health care graduates an experience like no other."

This year, supporters who want to do more than donate can play a key role in inspiring others to give by signing up to be a Giving Day advocate. Advocates will receive their own giving link to share with friends and family, and they will be able to track every click, dollar, and donor they generate to witness their impact.

To participate in UT Health Science Center Giving Day or get more information, go to givingday.uthsc.edu.