TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis announced that the governor increased the amount of funding for cancer research to $100 million in his proposed budget, an increase by 60 percent.
The historic announcement was made during a roundtable at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa with Surgeon General Dr. Joe Ladapo and other medical experts.
“60 percent, I think. is really saying something about what you guys have done in your fields to lead the way, to earn the right to have this money to be able to do this,” Casey said.
Ladapo said the funding will have a significant impact on Florida’s cancer centers on how to improve patient care and reducing cancer’s impact on people.
The funding would be used to forward cancer care and research at three cancer institutes in Florida— H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and University of Florida Shands Cancer Hospital.
In 2014, the Florida Legislature established the Florida Consortium of National Cancer Institute Centers Program to enhance the quality and competitiveness of cancer care in the state. The initiative funds three cancer institutes in Florida that are or are seeking to become National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated.
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center (designated National Cancer Institute)
- University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (designated National Cancer Institute)
- University of Florida Shands Cancer Hospital (applying for National Cancer Institute designation)
