Hope at the Forefront: BIG hope Finds a New Home at UChicago Medicine
There are moments that symbolize more than celebration. They represent progress, partnership, and the collective determination to change the future. The unveiling of BIG hope at University of Chicago Medicine was one of those moments.
Now located in the lobby of the Center for Care and Discovery—and eventually moving to the new AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion when it opens next year—BIG hope stands as a bold and visible reminder of what is possible when research, care, philanthropy, and community come together.
Created by artist Matthew Hoffman, BIG hope represents the 1 in 8 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. But more than that, she represents resilience, innovation, and the unwavering belief that better outcomes are possible.
“This is where patients come for treatment, where families come for answers, and where researchers and physicians are advancing what’s possible every day,” said Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation Executive Director Kirstin Chernawsky during the unveiling ceremony. “Placing BIG hope here connects the symbol directly to the work, to the people receiving the care, to the scientists driving the breakthroughs, and to the future we are all working toward together.”
The installation also celebrates the growing partnership between the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation and UChicago Medicine, a collaboration grounded in a shared commitment to accelerating breast cancer research and bringing innovative therapies to patients faster.
At the center of this partnership is the Chicago Breast Cancer Research Consortium, a groundbreaking collaboration convened by Lynn Sage and led by UChicago Medicine that brings together institutions, clinicians, and researchers across Chicago to advance breast cancer research through shared clinical trials, data, and expertise.
“The Chicago Breast Cancer Consortium is a truly innovative model,” said Dr. Kunle Odunsi, Director of the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. “I don’t know of any other city in the United States that has this kind of program where you have great institutions come together to solve a big problem like breast cancer.”
The Consortium is designed to remove barriers that often slow scientific progress and limit patient access to clinical trials. By creating a unified research network, patients across Chicagoland can access cutting-edge therapies and participate in innovative studies regardless of where they live.
“In Chicago, there are great disparities that exist in breast cancer outcomes for our patients,” said Dr. Rita Nanda, Director of Breast Oncology at UChicago Medicine and Head of the Chicago Breast Cancer Research Consortium. “The idea behind developing this Consortium is that we recognize that patients can’t always travel for clinical trials. And so, we wanted to bring clinical trials to patients where they live, with their providers who care for them, to offer opportunities for newer therapies and novel treatments they might not otherwise have access to.”
That spirit of collaboration, and the belief that research only matters if it reaches patients, was echoed throughout the event.
“The Consortium represents something essential in modern medicine: collaboration,” said Lynn Sage Board Chair Dr. Seema Venkatachalam Malkani. “It brings together leading institutions, researchers, and clinicians with a shared goal: to move discoveries out of the lab and into the clinic, where they can directly impact patients.”
For more than 40 years, the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation has invested in the science and scientists driving the future of breast cancer care. One of the Foundation’s most impactful investments is the Lynn Sage Scholars program, which supports early-career researchers at pivotal moments in their careers, when bold ideas need funding and innovative thinking can lead to breakthroughs.
“The Scholars program invests in researchers at the most critical moment in their careers, when a bold idea needs backing, and when the right support can turn early insight into real-world impact,” said Chernawsky.
The work happening through the Consortium and the Lynn Sage Scholars program demonstrates what can happen when philanthropy fuels innovation. Every clinical trial launched, every researcher supported, and every new treatment explored is made possible through donors, advocates, and supporters who believe in a future without breast cancer.
“We could not do this without philanthropic support,” Dr. Nanda shared.
Today, BIG hope stands at the intersection of research and care—exactly where hope belongs. She serves as a daily reminder to patients, physicians, researchers, and families that progress is happening, and that together, we are moving breast cancer research forward.
Because hope is more than a word. It is discovery. It is collaboration. It is action. And thanks to a powerful partnership between Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation and University of Chicago Medicine, it is firmly at the forefront.
Learn more about BIG hope, the Chicago Breast Cancer Research Consortium, and ways you can support life-saving breast cancer research.
View photos from the unveiling of BIG hope and the Hope at the Forefront reception.