Howard Meyers commits $25 million to MD Anderson to determine Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing

Howard Meyers, of Dallas, Texas, a member of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors (BOV), has committed $25 million to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to determine the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing. The primary of its kind, the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing will support and develop nurses throughout their careers by providing educational, skilled and wellness-based resources tailored to cancer care nurses and nurse scientists. This generous commitment will likely be matched through institutional philanthropic efforts, bringing this system funding to its goal of $50 million.

Meyers dedicated the gift in honor of his late wife, Rose-Marie “Rory” Meyers, whose profession and legacy as a nurse inspired his philanthropic commitment. As a member of the BOV since 2012, Meyers was also motivated by the institution’s dedication to solving a critical problem: the growing shortage of qualified nurses in cancer care.

“On behalf of the Meyers Foundation, my sons, Craig and Kevin, and I are proud to support MD Anderson by establishing the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing in honor of Rory Meyers,” said Meyers. “On behalf of the Meyers Foundation, my sons, Craig and Kevin, and I are proud to support MD Anderson by establishing the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing in honor of Rory Meyers,” Meyers said. “Rory graduated nursing school in 1962 and was a dedicated nurse who devoted much of her life to providing education for those within the nursing field.”

Along with addressing the present nursing shortage, the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing goals to mitigate nurse burnout and establish a model for other institutions to follow -; ultimately helping MD Anderson reach more patients and increase access to its world-leading prevention, diagnostic and treatment services, a key objective of the institution’s Strategy launched in 2021.

“It’s critical for us to recruit, retain and upskill nurses who can meet the multifaceted demands of cancer care,” said Peter WT Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “Howard’s generous gift plays a key role in helping us attract, nurture and keep the very best and brightest nurses in health care. The Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing positions MD Anderson as a game-changer on this landscape by specializing in nursing professionalism, elevating our training and work environments and emphasizing individual profession paths for nurses.”

Transforming the long run of nursing

The Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing builds on the prevailing foundation of MD Anderson’s popularity as a premier institution for nursing. Since 2001, MD Anderson has earned five consecutive Magnet Recognition Program^® designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which recognizes health care organizations for superior patient outcomes, teamwork and innovations in skilled nursing practice. This designation contributes to MD Anderson’s consistent rating among the many nation’s top hospitals for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” survey.

With greater than 4,500 registered nurses and the biggest clinical trials program on the earth, MD Anderson offers a novel, collaborative environment for nurses to guide within the administration of research and management of cancer care. The Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing will provide recent educational and skilled opportunities for nurses and nurse scientists to further advance their careers, including A.P.R.N. and R.N. cancer specialty fellowships and residencies.

Cancer specialty fellowships and residencies enable nurses to learn and refine trailblazing approaches to cancer care that maximize safety and positive outcomes for our patients. This advanced level of coaching elevates our practice and allows MD Anderson to set the nursing gold standard for cancer centers all over the world.”

Rosanna Morris, senior vice chairman and chief operating officer at MD Anderson

Moreover, the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing plans to launch the Nurse Leadership Academy, which can give attention to the unique leadership capabilities required to successfully lead inside nursing and the support, coaching and mentoring infrastructure required for achievement.

The Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing may also feature growth and wellness tracks that supply alternative skilled opportunities by prioritizing time spent developing skills or being at home. By dedicating time for skilled and private growth and wellness, the Institute will develop a pipeline of nursing leaders higher equipped and positioned to share their perspectives on institutional leadership teams.

“We hope to encourage the subsequent generation of top talent to affix cancer care nursing careers,” said Carol Porter, D.N.P., senior vice chairman and chief nursing officer at MD Anderson. “We would like our nurses to be the very best at what they do and realize their personal and skilled aspirations. Simply put, we wish nurses who begin their careers at MD Anderson to retire from MD Anderson.”