
A 1966 press conference in Chicago was an occasion for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to share remarks that continue to inspire the work at the University of Illinois Cancer Center. At the annual meeting of the Medical Committee for Human Rights he said, “of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman.”
Almost 60 years later, we continue to wrestle with the reality, and there is a 30-year difference in life expectancy within the limits of the same city. Residents in Streeterville can be expected to see their 90s while just a few miles away in Auburn-Gresham, many will not live to age 70.
We continue to recognize that while our academic reporting often focuses on the metric of race and culture, our healthcare delivery system is more amenable to transformation. One can state Blacks have lower life expectancy, but it is an equally true statement that Blacks have lower expectations of current systems of service and care.
This continues to motivate us to distinguish between providing impersonal access and a genuine, warm invitation to community and care. The mission includes expanding the circles of professionals and leverage the unique talents a multifaceted workforce brings to a collective effort. At the Cancer Center (part of UI Health, the academic health system of the University of Illinois Chicago) we want to continue to enjoy the manifold benefits of creating an environment that welcomes, supports and elevates individuals to build strong connections across our service landscape.
_ H. Steven Sims, MD, Assistant Director of the University of Illinois Cancer Center Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office, on behalf of the Cancer Center.