For patients facing a cancer diagnosis, access to high-quality care can make a life-changing difference. But for many Kentuckians, particularly those living in rural communities, traveling long distances for appointments and treatment can create additional challenges.

Melanie Hedger knows firsthand the toll cancer can take on the body as she battles breast cancer for the second time. But when she developed sudden, abnormal symptoms, she and her treatment team suspected something beyond the expected effects of cancer treatment.

This story was adapted from original reporting by D. Sean Rowley for the Cherokee Phoenix, with additional reporting by the UK College of Medicine.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine Office of Research hosted its second annual Fall Into Research event on Oct. 27, 2026, bringing together faculty, staff and research support partners from across the University and beyond. 

Gov. Andy Beshear proclaimed October 2026 as Cancer Education and Prevention Month in Kentucky. The proclamation recognizes the role of youth education in lowering the state’s cancer rates and names two University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center programs as models for that work. 

Providers from UK HealthCare’s Markey Cancer Center and Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology teamed up with local hospitals and health departments to expand gynecological care,

People diagnosed with colorectal cancer before age 50 who live in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in Kentucky and Georgia had a 30% higher risk of dying from the disease, according to a study led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researcher Justin Xavier Moore, Ph.D.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine Awards Convocation recognizes excellence across our institution. During the annual event, faculty, trainees and learners were recognized for their exceptional contributions to education, clinical care and service. On Oct. 21, synchronous events were held across our campuses. 
 

Melanoma is one of the most difficult cancers to treat due to its resistance to targeted drug therapies.

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, getting the right care should not be dependent on where they live.

In a place where the work is fast-paced and deeply meaningful, taking time to slow down can feel like a luxury. Between caring for patients, conducting research and educating future healthcare professionals, it's easy for conversations to stay focused on the task at hand.  

The University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UK CERH) is accepting applications for the Healthcare Worker Loan Relief Program of the Commonwealth (HWLRPC), a funding opportunity designed to strengthen Kentucky’s healthcare workforce by supporting the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in underserved communities.

Last Friday, the UK Alumni Association’s Lyman T. Johnson Alumni Constituency Group hosted its 35th annual Lyman T. Johnson Awards Luncheon. The event honors alumni and students from each academic college who embody the spirit and accomplishments of Lyman T.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine and UK HealthCare have earned Gold recognition from the American Medical Association's Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program, the organization's highest distinction for healthcare systems working to improve physician well-being. 

University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center physician and researcher Patrick Hensley, M.D., led an international, multidisciplinary team of bladder cancer experts in the development of new recommendations designed to help clinicians determine when biomarker testing can meaningfully guide bladder cancer care.

Working with the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, Lee Anne Pope is launching “Set Your Screen,” a new public awareness campaign encouraging Kentuckians to talk with their healthcare providers about recommended cancer screenings and take steps to detect cancer early. Lee Anne, wife of UK men’s basketball coach Mark Pope, is a longtime advocate whose family has been deeply affected by c

The University of Kentucky Salvation Army Clinic has been helping people in Lexington since 1986. The clinic started as a small corner in the Salvation Army dining room and has grown into one of the oldest student-run, free clinics in the country.   

Sidney Whiteheart, Ph.D., professor of molecular and cellular biology, and Thomas Kelly, Ph.D., professor and chair emeritus of the Department of Behavioral Science, are the recipients of the prestigious William R. Willard Dean’s Recognition Award this year. 

When Survivor viewers tune in each week, they're getting to know Sharonda Cox, M.D., as one of the castaways navigating alliances, competition and uncertainty on a remote island. But her colleagues at the University of Kentucky know her a little differently. 

University of Kentucky researchers are part of a nationwide effort examining how the places people live, work and spend their lives may influence their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.