OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center Receives $10 Million Gift to Support Expansion to Tulsa

OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center has received a $10 million gift from Jim Norton, his late wife Ronda, and their daughters, Christy Trussell and Leslie Croteau, to support its expansion to the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa.

This significant investment will help establish a state-of-the-art facility at OU-Tulsa, extending Stephenson Cancer Center’s advanced, research-driven cancer care and lifesaving clinical trials to the people of northeastern Oklahoma. The family’s gift honors Jim and Ronda Norton’s late daughter Melanie Elizabeth Norton Cheek by providing close-to-home cancer care for even more Oklahomans.

“My family has been blessed by Oklahomans. Both sets of my grandparents arrived in Oklahoma before statehood, and I’m proud to have been born and raised here,” Jim Norton said. “My daughter died of cervical cancer in April 2023. Because of the excellent care she received, she lived with cancer for four years instead of the one year we were told she would have after she had a hysterectomy.

“We want to honor Melanie’s life with this gift, and we hope that we can encourage others to step forward to help our neighbors and friends in northeastern Oklahoma have their very own cancer treatment center closer to home.”

As the state’s sole National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, Stephenson Cancer Center's expansion to Tulsa is facilitated by a robust public-private partnership involving key stakeholders like Charles and Peggy Stephenson, the Cherokee Nation and the Oklahoma Legislature.

“My family is proud to be among the people – along with fellow Tulsans Charlie and Peggy Stephenson – who are committed to making it easier for people to get cancer treatment as well as proper screenings so they can be diagnosed sooner and have a better chance of survival,” Norton said. “What we all truly want is a cure for cancer, but until then, we’ll do what we can to make a positive impact.”

The center’s expansion to Tulsa was announced in spring 2024 and fulfills a longtime goal for OU Health and the Stephenson Family.

“Jim’s generosity reminds me that we are all connected in this journey to bring healing and hope to Oklahoma,” Peggy Stephenson said. “His choice to honor Melanie’s life through this gift is a blessing, and it strengthens all of us who believe in the mission of the Stephenson Cancer Center. Charles and I are so grateful for his support.”

Norton’s generosity will provide significant support for the construction of the Tulsa facility and underscores the collaborative nature of this project, which is aimed at enhancing cancer care in northeastern Oklahoma.

“I’m deeply moved by Jim’s gift, which comes from an incredible belief in Stephenson Cancer Center’s work and a selfless commitment to honoring Melanie’s memory by making cancer treatment more accessible to countless Oklahomans,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr.  “Jim’s support and strength show not only his tremendous care for his daughter’s legacy, but his passion for encouraging others to support the Stephenson Cancer Center’s Tulsa expansion so families like his can access the best possible care while remaining close to home. It’s gifts like his that help us change health outcomes across the state and region.”

“The expansion of Stephenson Cancer Center to Tulsa is a critical step in our commitment to eliminate barriers for Oklahomans to access top-tier cancer care close to home,” said Robert Mannel, M.D., director of Stephenson Cancer Center. “Philanthropy is vital to fulfill our mission to serve all Oklahomans. I am profoundly grateful for Jim and his family’s extraordinary gift. The impact of their generosity will be felt by patients and their families for generations to come.”