UK HealthCare

'Behind the Blue': Mark Evers on the Milestones and Accomplishments of the UK Markey Cancer Center

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 21, 2022) — In 2009, Mark Evers, M.D., came to Kentucky to serve as the director of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center with one overarching goal in mind: to reduce the significant burden of cancer in our state.

Thirteen years into his tenure, the UK Markey Cancer Center has grown into a robust cancer program that U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks as one of the top 50 in the country. Since becoming a National Cancer Institute-designated center in 2013, Markey’s research funding and patient volumes have increased substantially – so much, in fact, that the cancer center has outgrown the buildings it has called home for the past four decades.

In this episode of Behind the Blue, Evers takes us through some of the most important milestones and accomplishments of the Markey team during his time at UK, and discusses plans for Markey’s future – including a new outpatient facility that will enhance the patient care experience and a significant new philanthropic gift that will help make it all happen.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

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As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.