Cancer touches nearly every Tennessee family. It is the second leading cause of death in our state, and is projected to claim the lives of more than 15,000 Tennesseans in 2026, according to the American Cancer Society.
These numbers are not just statistics; they represent parents, neighbors, coworkers and dear friends. While progress has been made nationally, too many Tennesseans, especially in rural communities, are still diagnosed too late and die sooner than they should.
Tennessee’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center (NCI), the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, provides families with access to cutting-edge therapies and clinical trials not available at other hospitals…