Hope Close to Home

When Mike, a proud father of twin daughters and lifelong athlete, woke up one morning unable to see out of his left eye, he had no idea his life was about to change forever. What began as a routine visit to his optometrist quickly escalated into a diagnosis of uveal melanoma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the eye.

Despite nine surgeries and radiation, Mike lost vision in his left eye, but his fight was far from over.

“My retina specialist tried his best to save my sight, but his ultimate goal was to save my life,” Mike said. That goal led him to SCRI Oncology Partners, where he was cared for by Dr. Meredith McKean, medical oncologist at SCRI Oncology Partners and director of melanoma and skin cancer research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI). When scans revealed the cancer had spread to his liver, Mike faced a daunting decision: how to fight back.

For patients like Mike, access to clinical trials in their community is more than a convenience — it’s a lifeline. Instead of traveling hundreds of miles to a major academic center, Mike was able to enroll in a clinical trial tailored to his cancer, at SCRI Oncology Partners, close to home.

“Being able to get treatment locally meant I could stay connected to my family, keep up with my daily life and focus on healing,” Mike shared. “The power of receiving love from my community during treatment was unbelievable.”

The Importance of Community-Based Research

One in five patients with cancer are reached through SCRI’s affiliated sites¹.

“Our goal is to have a trial for every patient as close to home as possible because we know how important it is for patients to receive world-class care without having to uproot their lives,” Dr. McKean said.

Over two years of treatment, Mike’s scans began to show remarkable progress. His tumors slowed, then shrank, until they were nearly gone. Dr. McKean remembers the moment vividly: “I had to check the scans twice. Seeing such a response to this type of cancer is rare. It speaks to what is possible when patients receive advanced care and support through clinical research in their own community.”

Mike’s journey didn’t end there. He faced a second battle with colon cancer a year later, completed chemotherapy and today shows no sign of disease. Through it all, he continued to play golf, compete in professional tournaments and inspire others with his resilience.

A Proven Partner for Biopharma Innovation

Stories like Mike’s are possible because McKesson and SCRI are committed to bridging the gap between research and real-world impact, working hand-in-hand with biopharma to expand clinical trial access for patients like Mike.

“Ultimately, we want to help patients, like Mike, access cutting-edge therapies in their community — empowering them to receive the best possible care,” Dee Anna said.

Mike’s experience is one of thousands made possible by SCRI’s expansive network of more than 1,300 research physicians and over 850 first-in-human clinical trials conducted since its inception. As a global leader in clinical research, SCRI has helped to advance the majority of new cancer therapies approved by the FDA in the past decade² — offering biopharma partners broad reach and deep expertise in community oncology.

Mike’s experience is a testament to what’s possible when clinical research meets patients where they are.

Community oncology care isn’t just about proximity — it’s about empowering patients to fight, heal and thrive with the support of their loved ones and the latest medical advances.

For every patient like Mike, community clinical trials offer not just treatment, but hope — and for biopharma, a pathway to deliver innovation where it matters most.

“The minds working in healthcare today have access to tools and treatments based on data points that we've never been able to combine before,” Mike said. “Through advanced technology, and genetic insights, there are paths to recovery that we never thought possible before. That is the future of cancer care and I’m living proof of that.”

References:

1. Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) network and trial data, and SCRI’s impact on FDA approvals: SCRI. “About Sarah Cannon Research Institute.” Accessed October 2025. https://www.scri.com
2. SCRI and IQVIA partnership to accelerate oncology trials globally: SCRI. “IQVIA and SCRI Collaborate to Accelerate Oncology Trials Globally.” Press Release, May 2025. https://www.scri.com/news/iqvia-and-scri-collaborate-to-accelerate-oncology-trials-globally/