Co-Founder of Nike Phil Knight has opened his bank account and his heart in order to set a record for the largest charitable gift ever handed to an American university.

$2 billion was given to a cancer institute bearing his name at the Oregon Health & Science University, a gift that will allow the institute to double in size and continue producing lifesaving breakthroughs in cancer diagnosis methods and treatment.

The Sultan of Swoosh is known for giving large philanthropic donations, and in the same way that Nike has impacted and shaped sport, Phil and his wife Penny have supported a revolution in the fight against cancer through that support.

The Knights had previously pledged to donate $500 million to OSHU if it could match that total in fundraising, a pledge which launched the ambitious Knight Cancer Challenge, which amassed donations from all corners and all sectors of America. The resulting $1 billion was used to fund research into early cancer detection screenings, leading to a panoply of blood tests.

Knight Cancer Institute Director Brian Druker, M.D., was the lead developer of Gleevec, a drug that transformed the survival of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia from less than five years to a diagnosis for which a normal lifespan can be expected.

The Knights’ investment of $2 billion was inspired by Dr. Druker’s vision to integrate the benefits of scientific discovery they have supported in the past with unmatched cancer care. This fully integrated cancer care model will expand and accelerate diagnostics, ensure access to innovative clinical trials informed by Knight researchers and simplify the experience for patients and families.

Every patient will have access to a full range of much-needed support resources, including nutritional support, psychological, genetic and financial counseling; symptom management; survivorship care and support; and other complementary therapies.

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“Penny and Phil Knight have always challenged us to do what no one else is doing,” Dr. Druker said. “It can seem impossible to navigate the health care system after being diagnosed with cancer. We’re going to change that. We have revolutionized the way we detect and treat cancer. Now we are going to transform the way we care for patients while continuing to develop innovative treatments.”

Lastly, the gift being as large as it is, has given the institute the chance to transform into a self-governed entity within OSHU.

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“We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in the next stage of the Druker-led revolutionary vision of cancer research, diagnosis, treatment, care, and some day, eradication,” the Knights said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited about the transformational potential of this work for humanity. We are confident that establishing the Knight Cancer Institute as a self-governed entity within OHSU will help the Knight and OHSU reach these goals.”

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