The AbbVie Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing health inequities, has made a $75 million donation to the University of Chicago to support construction of UChicago Medicine's new Cancer Pavilion, the first free-standing facility in Illinois dedicated to reshaping cancer care.
The building, which will be called the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion when it opens in 2027, reflects the shared mission of both organizations to advance health equity and increase access to high-quality, culturally competent care.
This donation helps fund the $815 million, 575,000-square-foot building, which will serve as the headquarters for UChicago Medicine where the organization will advance the field of cancer through world-class research, pioneering clinical treatments and personalized patient care – all under one umbrella. surface. The donation will allow UChicago Medicine to direct resources to further support community health.
“We are deeply honored by this generous donation, as it reinforces our commitment to enhancing the health and vitality of the community – a core priority for our South Side-based institution,” said Paul Alivisatos, president of the University of Chicago. “This important contribution demonstrates the confidence the AbbVie Foundation has in UChicago as a leading medical institution dedicated to pursuing globally meaningful solutions to unsolved challenges.”
The AbbVie Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to advance health equity, with a unique focus on empowering communities around the world and accelerating innovative solutions to drive transformative change. UChicago Medicine has been a long-standing partner of the AbbVie Foundation. In 2020, the Foundation awarded a five-year, $8 million commitment to support the establishment of the Liaisons in Care (LinC) program at UChicago Medicine. The program—a network of community health workers, community-based and faith-based organizations, and UChicago Medicine—has expanded health care services and addressed social determinants of health across Chicago's South Side neighborhoods.
“The AbbVie Foundation is honored to deepen our long-standing partnership with UChicago Medicine, which is rooted in our shared mission to advance health equity,” said Claudia Caravetta, President of the AbbVie Foundation and Vice President of Global Corporate Responsibility and 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 innovations in cancer care, address inequities and create remarkable impact for patients in Chicago’s South Side community and around the world.”
UChicago Medicine's distinguished track record includes being home to one of only 72 hospitals in the United States – and one of two in Illinois – designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. For more than 17 years, UChicago Medicine has been nationally ranked among the best hospitals for cancer care, making it a preferred destination for the most complex and advanced treatments. Among historic accomplishments, UChicago Medicine became the first U.S. site to offer FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy, a pioneering approach to treating certain blood cancers in adults and children.
Mark Anderson, MD, executive vice president for medical affairs at the University of Chicago, emphasized the broader mission of the pavilion: “This facility is not just about promoting scientific discovery, although that is certainly a core part of our mission. It is about changing how care is delivered.” , addressing existing inequalities in cancer outcomes, and ensuring that everyone – regardless of their background – has access to the most advanced treatments.
“Our teams will seek to revolutionize cancer care by asking and studying more complex scientific questions, the answers to which can accelerate progress in the field,” said Kunle Odunsi, MD, director of the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The AbbVie Cancer Foundation Pavilion will unite more than 200 leading cancer experts, now spread across our campus, allowing us to closely collaborate with each other to create something greater than we could achieve alone.”
The AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion will not only serve patients across the country and the world seeking care at the level of academic medicine, but will also be a resource for members of the South Side community seeking cancer education, prevention and screening. “This facility is located where we want it to be, on the South Side of Chicago, where health disparities have been significant and where cancer is the second leading cause of death,” said Candice Henley, a cancer survivor and president of the University of Chicago Medicine Society. Advisory Board.
The AbbVie Cancer Foundation Pavilion represents one of the most significant investments UChicago Medicine has made in Chicago's South Side. “This gift will advance our efforts to strengthen the network of care through initiatives such as the South Side Healthy Community Organization and the Violence Recovery Program, all while continuing to serve as an economic catalyst for the community through employment and other opportunities,” Thomas said. Jackiewicz, president of the University of Chicago Health System.
