UChicago Medicine to Open Ralph Lauren Center to Expand Cancer Care on South Side, Southland (Chicago, IL) – UChicago Medicine will open the first Ralph Lauren Center in the Midwest, expanding access to cancer prevention, treatment and support services for patients on Chicago’s South Side and in the Southland.
The project is being funded through a grant from The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation to the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. The new UChicago Medicine Ralph Lauren Center will be the fourth such center in the nation and is part of the foundation’s $25 million commitment to establish or expand five centers across the United States.
The center will operate at two UChicago Medicine locations. The first site will open in 2026 at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey. The second will open in April 2027 at the health system’s main campus on the South Side inside a new 575,000-square-foot cancer tower, scheduled to debut as the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion.
The new pavilion will serve as UChicago Medicine’s central hub for cancer care and research. Planned services include the Carole Bransky Breast Center, a rapid assessment clinic for immunocompromised patients, and community spaces for cooking and fitness classes, support groups and music therapy.
“We are honored that The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation selected UChicago Medicine to open the first Ralph Lauren Center in the Midwest,” said Dr. Kunle Odunsi, director of the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The award speaks to our shared mission of improving access to cancer care in the community.”
UChicago Medicine is one of only two institutions in Illinois with a National Cancer Institute designation, a status it has held since 1973.
Ralph Lauren, executive chairman of Ralph Lauren Corporation and chair of The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, said the Chicago center will help bring high-quality care to communities that need it most.
“From New York to Washington, Los Angeles and now Chicago, we are making a real impact on this disease,” Lauren said. “The University of Chicago Medicine’s new state-of-the-art center will change lives by making high-quality care more available throughout the Chicago community.”
Dr. Nita Lee, associate director of community outreach and engagement at UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, will serve as program director for the new center at both locations. She will work with UChicago Medicine’s Urban Health Initiative and the Ingalls Memorial oncology team to launch the program.
“The establishment of the UChicago Medicine Ralph Lauren Center represents a significant step forward for the communities and patients we serve,” Lee said. “By focusing on cancers that disproportionately affect our neighbors, we are emphasizing prevention, early detection and coordinated support.”
Cancer remains a leading cause of death on Chicago’s South Side and in the Southland, where social and economic factors contribute to higher cancer rates and poorer outcomes. The new center aims to address those disparities by supporting patients through every stage of care — from education and prevention to diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
In addition to medical services, the center will provide transportation assistance, nutrition services, financial counseling and integrative therapies. At Ingalls Memorial, the program will rely on community health workers and a partnership with Equal Hope to help guide patients through the health system.
At the Hyde Park campus, the center will serve patients across the UChicago Medicine network and will be supported by a mobile medical unit. The unit will bring preventive services and education about screenings, genetic testing and cancer risk reduction directly into neighborhoods.
The Chicago center will join other Ralph Lauren Centers across the country, including locations in Harlem, New York; Washington, D.C.; and Los Angeles. Internationally, the foundation also supports cancer research and treatment initiatives in the United Kingdom.
UChicago Medicine to Open Ralph Lauren Center to Expand Cancer Care on South Side, Southland
