Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences awarded $1,000,000 grant to launch oncology education and research center

Fort Worth, TX

10/1/2007

TCU's Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences has been awarded a $1,000,000 five-year grant from UT Southwestern Moncrief Cancer Foundation. The grant will enable the start of a highly productive partnership between TCU and UT Southwestern Medical Center that will result in significantly improved education for nurses in the area of oncology, as well as significantly improved cancer patient care in Tarrant County and all of North Texas.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with the TCU Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences on this exciting new program," said Kim Pollock, associate vice president for cancer programs at UT Southwestern. "The student rotation in the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center will highlight the valued role our oncology nurses have on the multidisciplinary team caring for cancer patients."

"We hope this experience will encourage more nurses to enter the field of oncology nursing and participate in oncology nursing clinical research," said Pollock.

The grant will focus on enhancing oncology education and research with a focus on three areas: 1) undergraduate and graduate curriculum at TCU, 2) research by TCU nursing faculty, and 3) strengthening the relationship between UT Southwestern, TCU and area Tarrant County hospitals.

"This will offer opportunities in oncology nursing for undergraduate and graduate students that would not be possible without this generous gift," said Dr. Paulette Burns, dean of the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences. "The undergraduate students will have the option for additional coursework in oncology nursing and graduate students will be able to specialize as clinical nurse specialists in oncology nursing."

"This grant will also provide seed money to fund pilot studies in oncology nursing, which will impact further development and long-term research programs," said Dr. Burns.

Dr. Suzy Lockwood, director of the TCU Center for Oncology Education and Research, said the Harris College submitted the proposal to the foundation for the creation of the oncology center. She said the gift is instrumental in establishing the center. She also said the gift was consistent with the foundation's mission to improve the care of patients.

"The goal of the funding and the purpose of the center specifically is to increase the number of nurses who go into oncology and stay in oncology and to improve care through nursing research," said Lockwood.

For more information on Harris College, visit www.harriscollege.tcu.edu.


Media contact:
Shawn Kornegay
Asst. director of communications
817-257-5061
s.kornegay@tcu.edu