Reaching Out

Serving a vast geographic region of great beauty, with rich multicultural and multiethnic diversity, the UNM Cancer Center is dedicated to bringing world-class cancer care to all of the communities in our region and ensuring that all New Mexicans benefit from the fruits of cancer research.

The UNM Cancer Center in Albuquerque is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center within a 600-mile radius. If one superimposes the State of New Mexico on the Eastern Seaboard like we have on the map to the right, there are more than 20 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers in the comparable geographic area that we alone serve here in New Mexico.

As a minority-majority state, more than 50 percent of our patients are ethnic minorities, primarily Hispanic and Native American, with unique cancer patterns and significant cancer disparities. To ensure that all New Mexicans can access outstanding cancer care, we are building a statewide network of cancer centers and clinics across our diverse region – in Las Cruces with Memorial Medical Center, in Santa Fe with Christus – St. Vincent Regional Medical Center and the Santa Fe Cancer Institute, in Farmington with San Juan Regional Cancer Center and in some of the most remote regions of our state. We are also working with Tribal and rural communities across New Mexico to deliver cancer education, screening, prevention and treatment programs.

For example, our Cancer 101 educational program is reaching into every corner in the state, including all 19 of New Mexico’s pueblos, the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the Navajo Nation, as well as Hispanic and Spanish-speaking communities. Cancer 101 provides community members with basic cancer information, prevention, screening and treatment tailored specifically to each population. We are also developing programs to help more Hispanic communities access our wealth of services and we are constantly developing new programs in the hopes of bringing the finest cancer care to every New Mexican.