Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention to Open at USC Norris in Los Angeles
As part of The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation’s $25 million commitment to expand or establish five Ralph Lauren-named cancer centers in underserved communities across the U.S., the foundation has awarded a grant to the University of Southern California, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. It will open The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention at USC Norris, which will be the third Ralph Lauren-named center and first on the West Coast.
The center, slated to open in spring 2024, will be located within the USC Norris Cancer Center Hospital, helping to improve access to high-quality cancer screening services and timely treatment for underserved communities throughout the 10.4-million-person catchment area of Los Angeles.
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As one of the first comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute, USC Norris has served the L.A. community for 50 years with services such as screenings, treatment and survivorship. The new Ralph Lauren Center at USC Norris will increase access to high-quality cancer care, using a novel approach to patient navigation that focuses on social determinants of health that can influence care access and outcomes.
Through a partnership with Los Angeles General Medical center and three federally qualified health centers with more than 12 sites in high-need areas of L.A. County, the center will bridge the space between primary care (education and screening) and specialty care (follow-up screening and cancer treatment). In line with the USC Norris cancer center’s strategic priorities for cancer care, the Ralph Lauren Center will focus on addressing disparities in risk and outcomes for cancers of the cervix, breast, colon and lung.
“We are honored that our USC Norris cancer center is the first named cancer center in California to be selected for his generous and transformational award,” said Carol L. Folt, president of University of Southern California. “The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention’s goal of breaking down barriers to cancer treatment aligns with USC’s deep commitment to making health care more accessible and equitable. This award will greatly benefit those in our community and further our ‘moonshot’ goal of transforming USC Health Science.”
Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer of Ralph Lauren Corp. and chair of The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, said, “We have made great progress since I made a commitment to the fight against cancer more than 30 years ago but there is more to do, and we will continue expanding our efforts to make meaningful change for patients, their families and communities. Around the country, from New York to Washington, and now Los Angeles, we are working to reduce disparities in health care and improve access to high-quality preventative care and treatment, making a real difference in the lives of the medically underserved. USC Norris sits in the heart of the community, making it possible to reach those who need support the most.”
The Ralph Lauren Foundation, established in 2001, made the $25 million commitment in new grant funding last year, as reported. Recognized by the White House’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, the funding is earmarked to benefit institutions that have a National Cancer Institute designation and that aim to overcome disparities in health care and improve cancer outcomes in their communities — including the new Ralph Lauren Center at USC Norris; the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C., which opened in April 2023, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Ralph Lauren Center in Harlem, N.Y., which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
In the coming years, The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation will identify and select two additional grant recipients in collaboration with Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation.
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