University of Kentucky receives financial support for UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building

The University of Kentucky has been working on its new UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building since April 2024, with construction expected to be completed in 2027. The UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building will be home to the university’s UK Markey Cancer Center, Comprehensive Spine Center, ambulatory surgery space, and other outpatient services. In February 2026, two financial gifts were announced by the university. One gift will support the construction of the UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building, which will be the new home of the UK Markey Cancer Center, and one gift which will support the work of the UK Markey Cancer Center.

According to an article on the University of Kentucky’s website that discusses the gift from the Lexington Cancer Foundation in support of the UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building, Brenda Rice, who is the founder and chair of the Lexington Cancer Foundation, was quoted as saying of the gift, “The Lexington Cancer Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families throughout the Commonwealth. We are proud to complete this commitment to the new Markey Cancer Center building, which will bring a new era of advanced cancer research, treatment and services for all Kentuckians.”

The Lexington Cancer Foundation made a $5 million commitment to the UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building, and this donation, presented in February, was in the amount of $1.2 million to complete its commitment. The gift was funded primarily by the proceeds from the Andrea Bocelli concert that was held at Rupp Arena in December 2025.

A separate article on the University of Kentucky’s website outlines the gift from The Markey Cancer Foundation in support of the UK Markey Cancer Center and the UK College of Medicine. The gift totals $12.5 million, with $12 million of it as an endowed fund and $500,000 of it as a non-endowed fund.

Speaking of the gift, Alex Boone, who serves as the chair of the Markey Cancer Foundation and a member of the UK Board of Trustees, was quoted as saying, “The Markey Cancer Foundation is more committed than ever in supporting UK and the Markey Cancer Center in caring for patients, educating future health care providers and investing in the investigation of new innovative therapies and groundbreaking research. Today’s announcement of $12.5 million in funding for Markey is a significant step in ensuring this critical work being done can continue to have an impact on the health of Kentuckians for generations to come.”

The Markey Cancer Foundation was founded in 1978 to provide philanthropic support for the Markey Cancer Center, which is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Kentucky. The funding the Foundation has offered to the Center has supported research, endowed positions, and initiatives to strengthen research and patient care. 

B. Mark Evers, M.D., the director of the Markey Cancer Center, said, “For nearly 50 years, the Markey Cancer Foundation has been an incredible partner in advancing cancer research and care in Kentucky. I’m deeply grateful to the foundation’s board and all the donors who have supported this work. This generous gift honors that legacy and will advance our ability to continue delivering the highest level of treatment and discovery right here in the Commonwealth.”

In an article on the University of Kentucky’s website that covered the groundbreaking ceremony for the new UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building in April 2024, university president Eli Capilouto was quoted as saying, “As Kentucky's flagship university, we have a responsibility to lead the way in health care. This building signifies our commitment to addressing the critical health needs of our state, providing advanced care across various disciplines and ensuring that Kentuckians have access to the most innovative treatments close to home." 

The UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building, which will be the new home for the Markey Cancer Center, will consolidate the center’s six current spaces around campus into one unified hub. It will provide cancer patients with a streamlined experience that will include a pharmacy, rehabilitation center, lab, and imaging services, among others. It will also be a space for collaboration between clinicians and researchers to advance the care provided to cancer patients.

Evers said, "This facility will enable our talented clinicians and researchers to work together like never before, accelerating innovations that will directly translate into better outcomes for our patients. In a state that still holds the highest cancer rates, this building represents our commitment to expanding care, growing our capacity, and ultimately, conquering cancer in the Commonwealth." 

For more information about the University of Kentucky, visit the school’s website.