Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike, and Penny Knight announced today a record-breaking $2 billion gift to the Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU) Knight Cancer Institute to transform the future of cancer care and set a new standard globally.

It is the largest single donation ever made to a U.S. university, college, or academic health center.

Mr. Knight grew Nike into the world’s largest footwear, apparel, and equipment company, and one of the most recognizable brands on the planet. In the same way that Nike has impacted and shaped sport, the Knights have supported a revolution in the fight against cancer through their philanthropic support. With this pledge, they recognize there is still more to be done and that this gift will allow the seamless integration of the best treatments with the best care.

The Knights have a long history of teaming with Brian Druker, MD, and the Knight Cancer Institute’s team. Dr. Druker holds the JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research and was the lead developer of imatinib, a drug that transformed the survival of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia from less than 5 years to a diagnosis for which a normal lifespan can be expected. It received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in 2001 and helped to usher in the era of precision medicine.

In 2013, the Knights pledged a $500 million donation to the Knight Cancer Institute if the university could match it within 2 years. In one of the most ambitious feats in fundraising history, the $1 billion Knight Cancer Challenge was successfully completed, thanks to $200 million in bonds from the Oregon Legislature; $100 million from Gert Boyle, Chair of Columbia Sportswear; and donations from 10,000 individuals from all 50 states and 15 countries. These funds were used to establish one of the first large-scale early cancer detection programs, spurring the development of numerous blood tests for the early detection of cancer. The investment allowed the Knight Cancer Institute to continue to research targeted therapies and precision medicine.

A historic gift given to Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute is the largest single donation ever made to a U.S. university, college, or academic health center.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in the next stage of … revolutionary vision of cancer research, diagnosis, treatment, care, and some day, eradication. We couldn’t be more excited about the transformational potential of this work for humanity. We are confident that establishing the Knight Cancer Institute as a self-governed entity within OHSU will help the Knight and OHSU reach these goals,” said the Knights.

The Knights' investment of $2 billion was inspired by Dr. Druker’s vision to integrate the benefits of scientific discovery they have supported in the past with unmatched cancer care. This fully integrated cancer care model will expand and accelerate diagnostics, ensure access to innovative clinical trials informed by Knight researchers, and simplify the experience for patients and families.

Every patient will have access to a full range of much-needed support resources, including nutritional support; psychological, genetic, and financial counseling; symptom management; survivorship care and support; and other complementary therapies.

“Penny and Phil Knight have always challenged us to do what no one else is doing,” Dr. Druker said. “It can seem impossible to navigate the health-care system after being diagnosed with cancer. We’re going to change that. We have revolutionized the way we detect and treat cancer. Now we are going to transform the way we care for patients while continuing to develop innovative treatments.”

With the magnitude of this mission, the Knight Cancer Institute will become self-governed within OHSU. To accomplish this, the Knight Cancer Group will be created to lead the Knight Cancer Institute and manage OHSU’s cancer services. It will have its own board of directors, and Dr. Druker will be the inaugural President of this new organization.

“This gift is an unprecedented investment in the millions of lives burdened with cancer, especially patients and families here in Oregon,” said OHSU President Shereef Elnahal, MD, MBA. “It is also a signal of trust in the superlative work that our clinicians, researchers, and teammates at the Knight Cancer Institute do every day. Dr. Druker’s vision around a multidisciplinary system of care—focused squarely on making the patient’s experience seamless from the moment they receive a diagnosis—will now become reality. And thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Knight, Oregon will be the place to do it.”