Recognizing his life’s work to improve cancer care in the Kansas City region, Dr. Roy Jensen was tapped as the 2017 Kansas Citian of the Year.
The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce bestowed the honor on Nov. 21 at its 130th annual dinner. Kansas Citian of the Year is the highest civic honor awarded in Kansas City.
Jensen is director of the University of Kansas Cancer Center, a role he accepted in 2004.
Video: Dr. Roy Jensen, 2017 Kansas Citian of the Year
He guided the institute to become a National Cancer Institute-designated center in 2012. This year, the Cancer Center’s NCI status was renewed, and it received an 11 percent increase in NCI funding.
Jensen also helped to widen the network of local treatment options through creation of the Midwest Cancer Alliance. It connects the KU Cancer Center with a network of community-based oncologists and cancer-care professionals in Kansas and western Missouri, leading to better access to cutting edge clinical trials in the region.
“Dr. Jensen is passionate in his fight against cancer, and his leadership has brought front line cancer research and treatment to our region,” said Joe Reardon, CEO of the KC Chamber. “His work has directly saved lives in Kansas City and is contributing to the betterment of our entire Kansas City region.”
The Cancer Center applied for recognition as a Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2016. Although it did not receive the bump in status, it checked off milestones toward that goal.
“On average, it takes an NCI-designated cancer center 15 years to achieve comprehensive status,” Jensen said, “and we received our NCI designation just five years ago.”
The Cancer Center already is working on the next round of applications for Comprehensive Cancer Center status; the deadline is in 2021.
Don Hall Jr., CEO of Hallmark Cards Inc., was Kansas Citian of the Year in 2016.
