Ralph Lauren’s $5m gift helped open cancer centre in Harlem
Fashion designer Ralph Lauren donated $5 million to help establish a cancer care center in Harlem, New York, in 2003. The initiative was created to address healthcare access disparities for underserved communities, particularly for women facing barriers to early diagnosis.
Why it matters
It highlights the role of private philanthropy in addressing systemic healthcare inequalities in urban areas.
American fashion designer Ralph Lauren's company in 2010 announced a $5 million donation to establish a cancer care centre in Harlem, New York, where many residents faced difficulties accessing medical treatment. The centre opened in 2003 through a partnership involving Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and North General Hospital. It was set up to provide cancer screenings, diagnosis, treatment and support to people who had limited access to healthcare.According to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the initiative came after Lauren met Dr Harold Freeman, a cancer surgeon who had spent years working with patients from poor and underserved communities. Freeman had seen many women arrive at hospitals with advanced breast cancer, sometimes after struggling for months to obtain medical help.
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